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Bellarmine Knights vs Lipscomb Bisons Picks and Predictions – Thursday, January 15, 2026
Bellarmine heads to Nashville on Thursday night for an Atlantic Sun matchup with Lipscomb at Allen Arena, and the betting market is pricing a clear home-court advantage. Lipscomb is unbeaten at home at 7-0 and is laying 8.5 points, while Bellarmine has struggled away from home at 1-7. That combination is the main reason the line is where it is, even though Bellarmine’s shooting efficiency numbers suggest it can compete if it gets the game into the right tempo and shot profile.
The total at 157.5 sets up an interesting pace conflict. Lipscomb is comfortable scoring in the 80s, it shoots a lot of threes, and it can turn a short run into a margin quickly in its building. Bellarmine, by contrast, is a slower tempo team. If the Knights can force this into a halfcourt game with fewer possessions, the +8.5 becomes more attractive because there are simply fewer trips for the favorite to create separation. If Lipscomb pushes pace, creates early threes, and makes Bellarmine chase, that’s where this can turn into a double-digit home win.
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Bellarmine Knights vs Lipscomb Bisons Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should keep tracking movement throughout the day on the latest college basketball odds board.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellarmine Knights | +290 | +8.5 (-110) | O 157.5 (-112) |
| Lipscomb Bisons | -395 | -8.5 (-115) | U 157.5 (-112) |
Bellarmine Knights Betting Form
Bellarmine comes in off an 82-73 loss to North Alabama, but the offensive efficiency in that game is the main takeaway for this handicap. Brian Waddell’s 20 points on 80% shooting and the additional production from Jack Karasinski and Kenyon Goodin show that Bellarmine can score efficiently even when it’s not playing the ideal game script. That matters because as an 8.5-point underdog, Bellarmine doesn’t need to be better than Lipscomb for 40 minutes, it needs to stay connected and avoid the one stretch where the home team stacks threes and turns a tight game into a 14-point deficit.
The season profile is what makes Bellarmine dangerous as a dog. The Knights are shooting 51.9% from the field and carry an elite effective field goal percentage at 59.2%. Those numbers are not noise, they suggest a team that gets quality looks and finishes. Bellarmine also shoots 77.8% at the line, which helps cover late because it reduces the chance of empty trips in a free throw game. The problem is that this hasn’t translated cleanly on the road, and that is where this handicap lives. If Bellarmine can keep the tempo slow and take care of the ball, it can cover by simply staying efficient and forcing Lipscomb to earn every bucket in the halfcourt. For a quick snapshot of results and splits, use the Bellarmine Knights team page. Availability matters, so monitor the Bellarmine injury report before tip.
Lipscomb Bisons Betting Form
Lipscomb has been excellent at home at 7-0, and Allen Arena has been a real edge because the Bisons’ offense is built to generate threes and play with rhythm. They’re coming off an 84-77 win over Florida Gulf Coast where Charlie Williams went off for 27 points on elite efficiency, and that’s the key for a favorite. Lipscomb can cover spreads because it can score quickly when it’s getting clean looks, and it does not need a slow, grinding game to separate.
The supporting numbers are strong. Lipscomb is scoring 81.6 points per game and makes 11.2 threes per game, which is a high-volume perimeter profile that can create margin in a hurry. The other bettable piece is ball movement. Lipscomb ranks near the top nationally in assists, and that style tends to hold up at home because role players shoot better and the offense feels more consistent. Mateo Esmeraldo’s playmaking, at 7.1 assists per game, is central to that, because it keeps Lipscomb’s shot quality high and reduces the “empty stretch” risk that can make favorites vulnerable to covers. Track form and roster notes on the Lipscomb Bisons team page, and check the Lipscomb injury report before you lock anything in.
Bellarmine Knights vs Lipscomb Bisons Matchup Breakdown
This matchup is essentially a battle between Bellarmine’s efficiency and Lipscomb’s volume. Bellarmine can score efficiently and plays at a very slow pace, and that’s a classic underdog setup if the game stays under control. The Knights want long possessions, clean shot selection, and a game where both teams are in the 60s for possessions. That shrinks the margin and keeps +8.5 in play into the final minutes. The danger for Bellarmine is that Lipscomb’s three-point volume can blow up a slow game quickly. Two made threes and a turnover can erase four minutes of “good underdog basketball” in 45 seconds.
For Lipscomb, the path is clear. The Bisons want to speed the game up just enough to create extra possessions, then let their shooting and ball movement do the rest. If Lipscomb is getting early threes and forcing Bellarmine to chase through multiple actions, the Knights will eventually give up a few clean looks, and that is where home favorites separate. The total at 157.5 is high, but it fits Lipscomb’s scoring ability. The under case is tied directly to Bellarmine’s pace, because at 58.8 possessions per game, the Knights can drag totals down even against good offenses. If Bellarmine keeps this slow and Lipscomb doesn’t shoot a huge percentage from three, the under has value. If Lipscomb forces the tempo and the game becomes a three-point exchange, the number can get threatened quickly.
Bellarmine Knights vs Lipscomb Bisons Predictions and Best Bets
I lean Bellarmine +8.5. The pace profile and the Knights’ efficiency give them a real cover path, even if Lipscomb wins at home as expected. Bellarmine can keep this close by controlling tempo, staying efficient at the rim, and making Lipscomb win in the halfcourt rather than off quick threes in transition. Lipscomb’s home record is real, but laying 8.5 against a slow, efficient opponent is always a little uncomfortable, because the underdog doesn’t need to do much to stay inside the number if it avoids turnovers.
On the total, I lean under 157.5. Bellarmine’s pace is the most important variable in the game, and it’s hard to clear 157.5 without either an unusually fast game script or a very efficient night from deep. The risk is Lipscomb getting hot from three early and forcing Bellarmine to play faster than it wants.
Best Bet: Bellarmine +8.5 (-110).
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re betting college basketball daily, start with the NCAAB picks hub and compare prices on the latest college basketball odds board, because Atlantic Sun lines can move quickly when bettors weigh home-court splits against pace, and Bellarmine’s tempo is the type of variable that can swing both spread and total late. This is also a matchup where live betting can be sharper than pregame, because you can confirm early whether Bellarmine is actually controlling pace, or if Lipscomb is getting the kind of transition threes that force the Knights into a faster script. For more matchup breakdowns across the slate, use the NCAAB previews hub to compare pace expectations, shot profiles, and late-game foul tendencies, then track long-term performance on the handicappers leaderboard to decide whose approach fits how you bet, whether you’re targeting spreads, totals, first-half positions, or live entries built around game flow.
