NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
SIUE heads to Cape Girardeau for an Ohio Valley conference game against Southeast Missouri State on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 4:45 PM ET at the Show Me Center. The game streams on ESPN+. SIUE comes in at 10-8 and has traveled fine (5-4 away), while Southeast Missouri State is 9-9 with a 6-3 home mark, which is why the Redhawks are laying a bigger number than you usually see in a league game.
The market has Southeast Missouri State favored by 7.5 with a total of 140.5. That’s a pretty specific combo: a solid home lean for SEMO, but not a total that screams track meet. If SIUE can control the glass and create a few extra possessions with pressure, +7.5 is playable. If SEMO gets comfortable early and turns it into a rhythm scoring night at home, the spread is in danger.
Go Inside the Handicappers’ Playbook
All in one spot. Real-time line moves, sharp reads, and verified edges.
SIUE Cougars vs Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should always monitor updated college basketball odds. For the latest college basketball odds and any late movement, it’s worth checking again closer to tip.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIUE Cougars | +257 | +7.5 (-110) | O 140.5 (-117) |
| Southeast Missouri State Redhawks | -344 | -7.5 (-113) | U 140.5 (-108) |
SIUE Cougars Betting Form
SIUE is coming off a 65-59 loss to UT Martin, and that game is useful because it highlights what they can and can’t do. They can defend well enough to keep games in the low 60s, but they need a few things to go right offensively to avoid those six-minute droughts that kill covers. Darrion Baker led with 15 points and Arnas Sakenis added 12 with eight boards, which fits the profile of a team that has to scrap for points.
The travel record matters here. A 5-4 road mark is respectable and suggests they’re not automatically folding outside their building. If Ring Malith is driving the offense (17 points per game) and they can get enough secondary shooting, SIUE has a real chance to keep this within a couple possessions. Jo Valrie’s 44.4% from deep is the type of lever that can flip a spread like this, because a couple quick threes can erase what looks like a “safe” home lead.
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Betting Form
Southeast Missouri State is coming off an 88-76 loss to Lindenwood, and that result is a little odd because the offense still put up points. Luke Almodovar’s 21 points show they can generate scoring even when they’re not winning, and that’s part of why they’re favored here. At home, they’ve been a different team. A 6-3 record at the Show Me Center isn’t elite, but it’s clearly stronger than what they’ve shown away, and it’s enough to justify them as a mid-size favorite.
Offensively, SEMO’s baseline is solid. You gave them 77.7 points per game with a 46.4% field goal percentage. That’s not a “run and gun” profile, but it’s efficient enough that if SIUE has one of those low-60s scoring nights again, SEMO can cover simply by reaching their normal range. Brendan Terry is a swing piece too. A guy who can drop 30 in a conference environment changes the cover math because it gives SEMO a higher ceiling than the average OVC team.
SIUE Cougars vs Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Matchup Breakdown
This spread is mostly a question of whether SIUE’s defense and pressure can keep SEMO from playing comfortably. SIUE wants to disrupt timing, create steals, and turn a few possessions into quick points. If that works early, SEMO’s half-court execution gets tested, and +7.5 becomes very reasonable because the game is likely to stay in that “one run decides it” range.
SEMO’s path is cleaner: hit shots, keep the ball safe, and make SIUE score in the half court. If SEMO’s offense gets into the high 70s, the cover is very live because SIUE has shown they can get stuck in the low 60s. The rebounding battle matters too. SIUE is good enough on the glass to steal extra possessions, but if SEMO is finishing possessions with rebounds and not fouling too much, SIUE’s underdog cover routes shrink.
For the total, 140.5 sits in an uncomfortable middle. SIUE’s last game points to a slower, more defensive contest. SEMO’s scoring profile points to something closer to the mid-140s if they’re efficient. The total probably comes down to whether SIUE can turn defense into offense. If they’re scoring in transition, the Over becomes live quickly. If they’re grinding in the half court, Under is the cleaner side.
SIUE Cougars vs Southeast Missouri State Redhawks Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is SIUE +7.5. The price feels a bit inflated for a conference road dog that has a decent travel record. SIUE doesn’t need to win to cash, and their ability to pressure, rebound, and get a few threes gives them multiple cover paths. I don’t love how often their offense can stall, but +7.5 gives you room for a rough stretch as long as SEMO doesn’t go on two major runs.
On the total, I lean Under 140.5. This is more about SIUE’s preferred game script. If they’re competitive here, it likely means the game is being played at their pace, not SEMO’s. And if the game is tight late, you can still land under this number if the free throws aren’t excessive. The risk is obvious: if SEMO is efficient and SIUE is forced to chase, the pace can creep up.
Best Bet: SIUE +7.5 (-110).
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
Conference games are where bettors can lean into repeatable edges: home-court splits, whether a team can manufacture points at the line, and whether their defensive pressure actually creates extra possessions. Those small things decide covers more often than “better team wins.”
For more OVC angles and the rest of the slate, today’s college basketball picks is the quickest way to compare sides and totals across multiple matchups.
