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Kentucky Colonels vs Dolphins Picks and Predictions – Saturday January 24, 2026
Eastern Kentucky heads to Jacksonville for an Atlantic Sun matchup on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET, with the game played at Swisher Gymnasium and streamed on ESPN+. Both teams sit at 7-13, which is why the market is basically calling this a coin flip with Jacksonville laying 1.5.
This is the type of game where you don’t overthink “records.” The pricing is about styles and possessions. Eastern Kentucky plays with a three-point heavy approach that can flip a close spread quickly. Jacksonville has been steadier at home (4-3) and has shown it can score when the shots are clean.
The total is 139.5. That’s a workable number for two teams that can get into the 70s, but the path to the over isn’t automatic. If either side turns it into long half-court possessions or the threes don’t fall, 139.5 can get tight.
Eastern Kentucky Colonels vs Jacksonville Dolphins Odds
These are the current lines, and bettors should keep monitoring the market for late movement and juice changes on the latest college basketball odds.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Kentucky Colonels | -110 | +1.5 (-125) | 139.5 |
| Jacksonville Dolphins | -110 | -1.5 (+105) | 139.5 |
Eastern Kentucky Colonels Betting Form
Eastern Kentucky just played a classic “lose but show your ceiling” type of game, falling 87-85 to North Florida. Scoring 85 on the road tells you the offense can produce, and it wasn’t just one guy chucking. They got real contributions across the board, which matters when you’re betting a small number.
The entire EKU handicap starts with the threes. They take a ton of them and they make them at a high rate, and that’s how underdogs steal road games. If they’re hitting early, Jacksonville has to extend pressure and the game opens up. That’s when EKU’s scoring profile becomes a real edge, because you’re basically forcing the opponent to keep pace possession after possession.
The problem is reliability away from home. A 2-9 road record is a real concern, especially in a game priced close to pick’em where late-game execution matters. If EKU has a cold patch from deep and doesn’t have enough rim pressure to balance it, the offense can stall quickly.
Jacksonville Dolphins Betting Form
Jacksonville is coming off a 77-70 loss to Bellarmine, but the key takeaway is that the Dolphins have enough scoring to punish mistakes. They can shoot a decent percentage when they’re playing in rhythm, and at home they’ve been more stable than their overall record suggests.
The betting case for Jacksonville is about game control. If they can force Eastern Kentucky to defend in the half-court and take away clean catch-and-shoot looks, they can keep EKU from getting into that “four threes in five minutes” mode. Jacksonville doesn’t have to outscore EKU for 40 minutes. They just need to win the shot-quality battle and avoid giving away transition looks.
The other positive for the home side is confidence in this building. A 4-3 home mark isn’t dominant, but it’s enough to treat the Dolphins as more than “just another 7-13 team.” If this is tight late, the home team often gets the better whistle and the better energy run.
Eastern Kentucky Colonels vs Jacksonville Dolphins Matchup Breakdown
This matchup is basically a math problem. Eastern Kentucky wants volume threes. Jacksonville wants EKU taking tougher looks and living with the variance. If Jacksonville chases shooters off the line and forces EKU into long twos or late-clock floaters, the Dolphins will be in a good position to win.
On the other side, Jacksonville has to respect EKU’s ability to score fast. A couple of empty possessions plus one or two EKU threes can swing a close spread in a minute. That’s why turnovers and offensive rebounds matter. If Jacksonville gives away possessions, the EKU three-point engine gets extra chances, and that’s where the road dog becomes the right side.
The total hinges on pace and three-point efficiency. 139.5 is not a monster number, but it can still land under if both teams trade misses from deep and the game stays organized. If EKU is making shots early and Jacksonville responds by pushing tempo to avoid half-court defense, the over becomes very live.
If you want a clean framework for betting coin-flip spreads and totals driven by variance, the expert betting guide is useful for thinking through when you should be on the points versus the moneyline.
Eastern Kentucky Colonels vs Jacksonville Dolphins Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is Eastern Kentucky +1.5. In a near pick’em, I’d rather take the points with the team that can create separation quickly, even on the road. EKU’s three-point volume gives them a real path to winning outright, and +1.5 protects you against the most annoying result: a one-point road loss.
I’m also interested in EKU on the moneyline at -110. The pricing implies a true toss-up, and EKU’s offensive ceiling can be the difference if Jacksonville can’t consistently defend the arc. The biggest risk is the road profile, but in a one-possession spread, I’m not paying a tax for “home court” unless the matchup screams it.
On the total, I lean over 139.5. EKU plays a style that can inflate scoring quickly, and Jacksonville has shown it can get into the 70s when the offense is clean. The over is dependent on some threes falling, but the number is low enough that you don’t need a perfect shooting night.
Best Bet: Eastern Kentucky +1.5
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
To keep your card structured, compare this matchup against the rest of the slate on the college basketball picks page and then scan similar profiles in the NCAAB previews hub. That’s usually where you see which small spreads are getting bet like “home court auto-covers” and which ones are being priced correctly.
For broader conference context, the NCAAB teams hub helps when you’re tracking form and schedule spots, while the ScoresAndStats blog is a good place to reinforce process and market concepts.
If you want to follow the best-performing cappers, the best handicappers page is your starting point, and the handicapper leaderboard shows who’s consistently beating the market. When you want premium plays, you can access packages at buy picks, and for extra diligence on services and books, the handicappers sites reviews and sportsbook reviews sections help you line up the right setup.
