The Mississippi State Bulldogs and West Virginia Mountaineers tip off at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the early game of the NIT semifinals in New York City at Madison Square Garden. The winner will play the winner of the Clemson/Air Force game on Thursday, March 29 for the NIT Championship. Oddsmakers at most offshore sportsbooks like the Bulldogs, installing them favorites by a -1 ½ point chalk with a 146 total. 

Both Bulldogs and Mountaineers were tough to beat on their home courts this season but struggled on the road. MSU, 16-3 in Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, were 5-5 on the road. WVU went 17-1 in WVU Coliseum in Morgantown but were 8-8 away from home.The team to emerge the winner from this game will perhaps be the team who feels the most at home in the Garden. 

Rick Stansbury’s Bulldogs made it to the NIT Final Four in easy fashion by defeating Mississippi Valley State 82-63 in the first round followed by a 101-72 win over Bradley in round two and Florida State, 86-71 in the tournament quarterfinals. The Bulldogs enjoyed home court advantage in all the earlier rounds. MSU went 2-1, against the spread in its three NIT games cashing for backers as a -5 ½ point favorite versus FSU and as a -8.0 point favorite against Bradley.

The Dogs fell short ATS against MSVS as a heavy -22 point favorite. The total has gone OVER in all three NIT games and in the last six games the Bulldogs played. MSU seems to have hit its stride behind guard Jamont Gorden and power forward , 6’8” Charles Rhodes. 

The Mountaineers defeated Delaware State, 74-50, covering ATS a -16 ½ point line in round one and UMass in round two, 90-77, and covering ATS the -6.0 betting line. In the NIT quarterfinals, the Mountaineers got 25 points from Frank Young to put away North Carolina State 71-66 in the quarterfinals but came up short of cashing for backers ATS as a -6 ½ point favorite. The total has gone OVER in seven of the last 10 games WVU has played. 

Point-Spreads.com pick: Bulldogs -1 ½

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