Belmont vs. Southern Illinois Dunkel Predictions & Vegas Odds - Jan. 4

The Belmont Bruins (13-2, 3-1 MVC) host the Southern Illinois Salukis (7-8, 1-3 MVC) at Curb Event Center Arena, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 4, 2026. The Bruins are 6.5-point favorites in the game. The point total in the matchup is 159.5.

In its last matchup on Thursday, Belmont earned an 88-78 victory against Bradley. Tyler Lundblade's team-high 25 points led Belmont in the win. Southern Illinois is coming off of a 75-70 win over Valparaiso in its most recent outing on Thursday. In Southern Illinois' win, Quel'Ron House led the team with 12 points (adding four rebounds and one assist).

Belmont vs. Southern Illinois Odds and Game Time

• When: Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET
• Where: Curb Event Center Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
• Spread favorite: Belmont -6.5
• Moneyline favorite: Belmont -331
• Moneyline underdog: Southern Illinois +264
• Over/Under: 159.5 points

How to watch Belmont vs. Southern Illinois

• TV Channel: ESPN+
• Check out the rest of our Dunkel Index NCAA Basketball Picks!

Betting the Over/Under: Belmont vs. Southern Illinois

• This season, Belmont's games have hit the over on this game's 159.5-point over/under seven times.
• There have been six Southern Illinois games that finished with a combined score higher than 159.5 points this season.
• Together, the two teams combine for 163.9 points per game, 4.4 points more than the point total of 159.5 for this matchup.
• These two teams surrender a combined 143.7 points per game, 15.8 less than this contest's over/under.
• On average, the over/under in Belmont's games is 4.6 fewer points than the over/under of 159.5 in this matchup.
• A difference of 6.8 points separates this contest's over/under (159.5 points) and the average over/under in Southern Illinois' games (152.7) this season.

Betting the Spread: Belmont vs. Southern Illinois

• Belmont is 8-6-0 against the spread this season.
• The Bruins have been favored by 6.5 points or more nine times this season and are 3-6 ATS in those contests.
• In Southern Illinois' 14 games this year, it has seven wins against the spread.
• This season, the Salukis have an ATS record of 4-1 in their five games as an underdog of 6.5 points or more.
• Belmont has covered the spread twice at home, and is 5-1 overall there, this season.
• Belmont has one win ATS (1-4) as a 6.5-point favorite or greater at home.
• Southern Illinois is 1-6 overall, and 4-3 against the spread, away from home.

Betting the Moneyline: Belmont vs. Southern Illinois

• This season, Belmont has won 11 out of the 13 games, or 84.6%, in which it has been the moneyline favorite.
• The Bruins have entered eight games this season favored by -331 or more and are 7-1 in those contests.
• The oddsmakers' moneyline implies a 76.8% chance of a victory for Belmont.
• Southern Illinois has been chosen as moneyline underdogs in eight games this year and has walked away with the win one time (12.5%) in those games.
• The Salukis have a mark of 1-2 in contests where sportsbooks give them odds of +264 or worse on the moneyline.
• The moneyline set for this matchup implies Southern Illinois has a 27.5% chance of walking away with the win.

Dunkel Index Prediction for Belmont vs. Southern Illinois

• Pick ATS: Southern Illinois (+ 6.5)
• Pick OU: Over (159.5)
  
• Prediction: Belmont 84 - Southern Illinois 81