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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Drake-UIC prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Drake-UIC.
The Drake Bulldogs are one of four unbeaten teams left in college basketball this season. Ben McCollum replaced Darian DeVries and therefore had some very big shoes to fill. DeVries did an outstanding job with the Drake program, guiding the Bulldogs to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. DeVries has done an outstanding job at his new location, leading West Virginia to a huge win at Kansas on New Year's Eve to put the Mountaineers in position to make the NCAA Tournament. McCollum was replacing a really good coach.
The only way mid-major programs such as Drake remain on top in their corner of the college basketball world is to make the right hires when their coaches move to bigger jobs. DeVries was a gem, and he set a very high bar. Ben McCollum is showing signs that he can at least clear that high bar. Could he actually raise the bar even more than DeVries did? Maybe. We will see, but the early returns could not be any better, literally. Not losing a game entering January is as good as it gets for the Bulldogs, who will try to stay unbeaten as they make a road trip to Chicago to take on the Illinois Chicago Flames.
Drake might have a new coach, but the Bulldogs have veteran players who know how to win and are committed to playing elite defense and never taking a play off. Duke is structured, tough, resilient, and smart. The Bulldogs do not give away lots of points and possessions. They make the game hard for the opponent. Even though the coaches have changed, the identity of the team remains very much the same. In many ways, the big success of McCollum has been to not mess up the good chemistry he inherited. He is allowing his players to do what they do best and giving them the leadership they need.
Illinois Chicago has had a solid start to the season at 8-4. This is extremely good when you consider that the Flames lost at least 20 games in each of the previous two seasons. This is not an easy place to win, but coach Rob Ehsan is beginning to create legitimate cause for optimism in the Windy City. Obviously, UIC won't get headlines in a basketball landscape where Illinois, Northwestern and DePaul exist, but Illinois Chicago is definitely improving and has reason to think that with its own good coach on board, the future can be bright.
Here are the Drake-UIC College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Drake-UIC Odds
Drake: -6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -275
UIC: +6.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +220
Over: 132.5 (-110)
Under: 132.5 (-110)
How to Watch Drake vs UIC
Time: 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN Plus
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Drake Will Cover The Spread/Win
Ben McCollum and Drake have both earned the benefit of the doubt. They have both been superb over the past two months. The coach and his new players trust each other. There is total buy-in on this team. Drake has not been playing cupcakes, either. The Bulldogs won a neutral-site tournament in Charleston earlier this season, beating Miami and Vanderbilt en route to the title. Drake also won an overtime game at Kansas State. This team has answered the bell on many different occasions this season. That should foster confidence in any bettor who wants to back the Bulldogs.
Why UIC Will Cover The Spread/Win
UIC beat a solid Yale team earlier this season. UIC won on the road at Seattle, too. This team is battle-tested and will keep it close enough against Drake to cover the spread.
Final Drake-UIC Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Drake, but a New Year's Day afternoon game on the road could be a trap. Maybe wait for a live in-game bet on this one.
Final Drake-UIC Prediction & Pick: Drake -6.5
