Arkansas State vs James Madison Basketball Prediction & Best Bets: How to Bet the Sun Belt Tournament Title Game

After surviving a spirited effort by Texas State last night, James Madison is one win away from reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. To pick up their 31^st win of the season and claim the Sun Belt’s automatic bid, the Dukes will have to overcome a championship game challenge from Arkansas State, who is aiming for its first Big Dance bid since 1999.

Arkansas State vs James Madison Game Information

• Matchup: #4 Arkansas State Red Wolves (18-15 SU, 21-11-1 ATS, 15-16-2 O/U) vs #2 James Madison Dukes (30-3 SU, 19-13 ATS, 17-15 O/U)
• Location: Pensacola, FL (Pensacola Bay Center)
• Date: Monday, March 11, 2024
• Time: 7:00 pm ET
• Broadcast: ESPN

The Dukes, the second seed in the Sun Belt, extended their school record for wins last night with a 73-68 semifinal win over Texas State. The 11^th-seeded Bobcats gave it all they had, but the Dukes made their shots and free throws down the stretch to stave off the upset.

To reach 30 wins in a college basketball season is no small feat, but none of the first 30 wins will matter all that much if the Dukes can’t see off the fourth-seeded Red Wolves.

In Bryan Hodgson’s first season as head coach, Arkansas State is a win away from the program’s second March Madness appearance on the Division I level.

They were picked to finish ninth in the Sun Belt this season, and at one point, they were 8-13 overall and 4-5 in conference play. But they won seven of their last nine conference games to finish fourth in the standings, and after routing #5 seed Louisiana in the quarterfinals, the Red Wolves upset #1 seed Appalachian State on a last-second basket by Freddy Hicks to reach today’s title tilt.

In the only regular season meeting between the two teams, James Madison led almost the entire way in a 77-73 win at Arkansas State on February 7. Is a similar result in the cards tonight? Read on.

Arkansas State vs James Madison Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today’s NCAA basketball action.

Spread

• Arkansas State +5.5 (-112)
• James Madison -5.5 (-108)

Over/Under

• Over 150 (-110)
• Under 150 (-110)

Moneyline

• Arkansas State +210
• James Madison -250

Looking for more men’s college hoops picks for tonight’s schedule? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for all of today’s top games. That includes this matchup, the Southern Conference championship matchup between East Tennessee State and Samford, and the West Coast Conference semis (Santa Clara vs Saint Mary’s and San Francisco vs Gonzaga).

Arkansas State vs James Madison Prediction and Picks

Arkansas State vs James Madison Betting Analysis and Prediction

James Madison has had an outstanding season, but where will it end? The NIT will come calling if they lose tonight, which would be an accomplishment in itself given that the Dukes have not participated in a postseason tournament since the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

But that would be a very disappointing consolation prize for a team that started the season by winning at Michigan State, started 14-0, and landed in the national rankings for a stretch.

After receiving a stiff challenge from Texas State last night, the Dukes should be locked in for their matchup with the Red Wolves, who have now won 10 of their last 12 games.

If you have bet on Arkansas State during this stretch, you might be doing rather well for yourself. The Red Wolves are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games, with the lone missed cover coming in an 80-57 loss at Appalachian State to close out the regular season.

The only other SU loss in that stretch is their home loss to James Madison, which saw them cover as a five-point underdog thanks to a furious final two minutes. The Dukes led by 13 with 1:52 left, but the Red Wolves outscored them 17-8 from there and covered with a garbage basket at the end.

With the way that Arkansas State is playing and the belief that this hot streak has no doubt instilled, the Red Wolves certainly can’t be dismissed in this one. But James Madison will be ready to play, and I don’t see an upset happening.

Arkansas State vs James Madison Betting Picks

James Madison -5.5 (-108 at BetOnline) & James Madison team total over 76.5 (-115 at Bovada)

The Dukes have failed to cover in two or more games in a row only three times this season, and after not covering last night or against the Red Wolves last month, I think they will in this matchup.

Also, James Madison has failed to score at least 77 points in consecutive games only once this season. That occurred when they won 68-61 at Louisiana on January 4 then fell 81-71 (their first loss of the season) at Southern Miss two days later. The over on their team total missed by a small margin last night, but odds are that it won’t miss tonight.

Other NCAA Basketball Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on NCAA Basketball?

Throughout the college basketball season, you can find NCAA basketball odds at the top online sports betting sites. That includes prominent names like BetDSI, BetOnline, BetUS, and Bovada.

Along with game odds, many sportsbooks offer men’s and women’s March Madness futures odds, Final Four odds, Wooden Award odds, and more.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Our reviews analyze available betting options, deposit and payout options, mobile and live betting, and the sportsbook sign-up bonuses and other promos offered.

• BetDSI Sportsbook Review
• BetOnline Sportsbook Review
• BetUS Sportsbook Review
• Bovada Sportsbook Review
• MyBookie Sportsbook Review

Interested in Learning More About Betting on NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on the action from the Mountain West to the MAAC and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, check out our March Madness guide, and learn valuable March Madness betting tips, where you can find the best March Madness bracket challenges, who the Final Four favorites are, and much more.

• March Madness Guide

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more daily NCAA basketball betting insight from myself and the rest of our team.

• Betting News on “X”/Twitter
• Betting News on Twitch
• Betting News on TikTok

Will James Madison be a part of the field for the $200,000 Bracket Madness contest at BetOnline? Selection Sunday and the start of the contest aren’t until Sunday, March 17, but the contest is now open for entry fees. In the meantime, you can take advantage of their 100% cryptocurrency welcome bonus and build your bankroll for March Madness.