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Update: As of 11:15 a.m., here are the updated bet splits for the SWAC Championship Game:
Texas Southern: +1.5, 14% of action, 27% of bets
Norfolk State: -1.5, 86% of action, 73% of bets
The Texas Southern Tigers and Prairie View A&M Panthers will play for a SWAC Tournament championship when they meet up on Saturday, March 13th. The winner will represent the conference in the NCAA Tournament likely as a No. 16 seed.
Texas Southern earned a thrilling 84-81 victory over the Jackson State Tigers in the semifinals. Michael Weathers hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send it into OT, and Texas Southern took advantage for the victory. The senior guard finished the game with 30 points.
As for Prairie View A&M, the Panthers got the best of the Grambling State Tigers on Friday night 75-63. Faite Williams had 18 points, while the Panthers held the Tigers to just 18-44 from the field.
Let’s take a look at the action from Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, and the odds from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Texas Southern vs. Prairie View A&M, 6:00 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Point Spread: Prairie View A&M -1.5
Point Total: 141
The Panthers lead the country in steals percentage (14.0%) and are second in turnover percentage (26.2%). They force teams out of what they want to do, and that’s a tough matchup for a Texas Southern side that needs to go inside to score as they shoot just 27.9% from three-point range.
Prairie View swept the season series, albeit by just six total points across both games, but they’re the favorite here for a reason. The Panthers should make it three in a row and get to Indiana for the NCAA Tournament.
The pick: Prairie View A&M -1.5
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