A pair of unbeaten teams clash when the Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes battle the Drake Bulldogs in the first round of the 2024 Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic on Thursday. Miami is coming off a 93-63 win over Coppin State on Sunday, while Drake defeated Florida Gulf Coast 63-61 on Saturday. The Hurricanes (3-0), who finished 14th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and were 15-17 overall, were 2-2 on neutral courts last year. The Bulldogs (3-0), who finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference at 16-4 and were 28-7 overall, were 6-2 on neutral courts in 2023-24.
Tip-off from TD Arena in Charleston, S.C., is set for noon ET. The Hurricanes are 10-point favorites in the latest Miami vs. Drake odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 143.5. Before making any Drake vs. Miami picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 3 of the 2024-25 season on a 156-114 betting roll (+1762) on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to 2023. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Miami vs. Drake. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for Miami vs. Drake:
- Miami vs. Drake spread: Miami -10
- Miami vs. Drake over/under: 143.5 points
- Miami vs. Drake money line: Miami (Fla.) –503, Drake +373
- MIA: The Hurricanes have hit the team total under in 18 of their last 29 games (+5.50 units)
- DRA: The Bulldogs have hit the money line in 23 of their last 32 games (+9.05 units)
- Miami vs. Drake picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Miami vs. Drake streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why you should back Miami
Senior guard Nijel Pack is one of six Hurricanes averaging double-figure scoring. In three starts, he is averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 assists and three rebounds in 27.3 minutes. He is connecting on 56.7% of his field goals, including a blistering 41.2% from 3-point range. In the season-opening 113-72 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 4, he poured in 21 points, five assists and two rebounds.
Senior guard Jalen Blackmon is off to a solid start to his season after spending the past two years at Stetson. In three starts, he is averaging 14 points, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 rebounds in 21.7 minutes. He scored 17 points and added two steals in an 88-64 win over Binghamton on Nov. 10. Blackmon scored 15 points in the opener against FDU. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Drake
Junior guard Bennett Stirtz is the Bulldogs’ top scorer. In three starts, he is averaging 18.7 points, five assists, 4.7 rebounds and three steals in 35.7 minutes. He is connecting on 51.5% of his field goals, including 46.2% from 3-point range and 80% from the free throw line. He is coming off a 25-point, seven-rebound, four-assist and three-steal effort against Florida Gulf Coast.
Also powering the Bulldogs is senior forward Daniel Abreu. He has started all three games and is averaging 17.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 assists in 32.7 minutes of action. He is hitting 51.6% of his field goals, including a blistering 55% from 3-point range and 76.9% from the foul line. In the win over FGCU, he scored 17 points with one block and one rebound. He had 30 points and four rebounds in a 93-41 win over York College in the season opener on Nov. 4. See which team to pick here.
How to make Miami vs. Drake picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 155 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in nearly 60% of simulations. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Miami vs. Drake, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $1,700 on its college basketball picks dating back to 2023, and find out.
