Dayton has the superior record but must go on the road for this matchup. Davidson has struggled of late within the conference but a big win over the A-10 leader would be a sizable confidence boost.
However, based on its play of late, Dayton should be considered the favorite in this matchup.
This war on the floor will go down Friday, February 24, 2016, at 9 p.m. ET at the Belk Arena in Davidson, North Carolina. The game will be televised live on ESPN2.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Friday schedule.
Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dayton is 22-5 straight up and 16-9-1 against the spread. The Flyers have been really impressive on the road, going 6-1-1 against the spread in eight attempts. They are 12-8 against the spread as the favorite this season.
Davidson is 14-11 straight up and 11-12 against the spread. The Wildcats have played in nine home games this season and have covered in four of them. They are 2-4 against the spread as underdogs on the season.
Players to Watch
Jack Gibbs and Peyton Aldridge -- The Dayton upperclassmen are to go-to guys on offense right now, combining for more than 40 points per game this year. Gibbs is averaging 21.6 points per game and 4.3 assists while Aldridge is putting up 20.5 points per game and 7.7 rebounds.
Gibbs scored 32 points on February 18th, marking his fifth game of the season where he scored 30 points or more. The senior also put up 27 points in the loss to VCU earlier this month.
Aldridge comes into this game off the heels of back-to-back double-doubles. He had 27 points and 13 rebounds in the team’s recent loss to Richmond on February 21st and has accumulated six total double-doubles on the season.
If Davidson wants to pull out this win, it must be able to keep at least one of these guys in check.
Look-ahead Situation
Dayton is clearly the superior team, but its mental focus could be in question. The Flyers will follow this up with a game against VCU that may very well decide the conference champion.
Dayton currently sits a half-game ahead of VCU in the standings but lost in the first matchup between the teams on the road. The Flyers will get the rematch at home and have to feel good about their ability to come away with the victory.
There is plenty of reason to get hyped for that game, and thus there is a worry that Dayton could have one eye down the road in this one. It may not result in a loss, but when a point-spread cover can sometimes come down to the wire, this could be a legitimate factor.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
Davidson has failed to live up to expectations this season and sits in the middle of the pack in the conference. Dayton, meanwhile, has won seven straight games to shoot to the top of the A-10 and have the inside edge to winning the regular season crown.
The Flyers have their eyes on an NCAA men’s basketball tournament berth, and seem to be peaking at the right time. This game isn’t as easy as some may believe based on the records, as Davidson is capable of pulling off the upset.
Choose Dayton, but expect this one to be closer than it would like on the road. Keep an eye on the spread, as the Wildcats have the type of talent to come away with the cover if the spread is too large.
College Basketball Odds: Dayton 79, Davidson 76
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