Furman vs Liberty Prediction & Picks: Will the Paladins Extinguish the Flames in Conway?

Today, the eight-team Myrtle Beach Invitational gets underway at the HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina. Of the four games on tap for today, the best matchup features two potential NCAA Tournament teams in Furman and Liberty (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+).

The Paladins (2-0) lost 2,000-point scorer Mike Bothwell and NBA Draft pick Jalen Slawson from the team that broke the program's four-decade NCAA Tournament drought and upset Virginia in the first round.

But with March Madness hero JP Pegues, Marcus Foster, and Garrett Hien back, Furman is favored to repeat in the Southern Conference.

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Liberty (2-0) lost a 2,000-point scorer as well, in Darius McGhee, who finished second and third in the nation in scoring in his last two seasons.

However, the Flames return a number of other key players from a team that won 27 games last season, and they have been picked to mark their first season in Conference USA with a championship.

Both of these teams will be looking to have a successful trip to Conway, and there's a strong possibility that this winner of the Myrtle Beach Invitational will come from this game, as they are the two best teams in the tournament, as per KenPom's team rankings.

Furman vs Liberty Odds

Odds are courtesy of Bovada.

Spread

• Furman +1.5 (-105)
• Liberty -1.5 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 142 (-110)
• Under 142 (-110)

Moneyline

• Furman +105
• Liberty -125

Furman vs Liberty Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Furman to win

Picks: Furman +1.5 (-105 at Bovada) & Furman/Liberty over 142.5 (-110 at Bovada)

The Paladins own a 3-1 all-time record against the Flames, though the two teams haven't played since Furman won 61-58 at Liberty on December 6, 2016.

Since then, the Flames have changed conferences twice, going from the Big South to the Atlantic Sun to Conference USA and have become a consistent winner under Ritchie McKay, who has led the program to seven straight 20-win seasons.

In that same time period, Furman has six 20-win seasons, with the last five coming under coach Bob Richey, who was an assistant on Niko Medved's staff the last time these two teams played.

Even with Bothwell, Slawson, and McGhee moving on to the professional ranks, point production shouldn't be a problem for either Furman or Liberty this season.

Last Friday, the Paladins lit up Belmont for 99 points in a 23-point win over the Bruins. In the win, Furman shot 52.1% from the field and hit 12 threes, and five players scored 10+ points.

Pegues made his season debut after missing the season opener against North Greenville, led the team in scoring with 23 points, and came up a rebound and an assist short of a triple-double.

A guy like McGhee isn't easy to replace, but Kyle Rode made five threes and scored 23 points in last Friday's 71-59 win over Charlotte, and Brody Peebles (16.5 PPG) has had two solid games thus far from the bench.

I'm expecting a lot from both of these teams this season, but tonight I'm riding with Furman to pick up the win. Both Furman and Liberty possess a wealth of experience and talent, but I think Pegues and Foster will prove to be too much for the Flames.

Where to Bet on College Basketball

If you are looking for college basketball odds, you will always be spoiled for choice. Sports betting sites all over the internet offer a vast array of NCAA basketball odds throughout the season, from the opening tip in November to the conclusion of the season in early April.

Along with being able to bet on countless games, many online sportsbooks offer men's college basketball national championship odds, women's college basketball national championship odds, men's Wooden Award odds, women's Wooden Award odds, and odds on who will win early season and conference tournaments.

Below are some of the books that we highly recommend for college basketball betting:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• Bovada
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don't have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Other College Basketball Content

• College Basketball Betting Guide
• Men's Wooden Award Winner Odds
• Women's Wooden Award Winner Odds