The Winthrop Eagles and High Point Panthers will battle in the Big South Championship on Sunday afternoon. The winner will earn a coveted automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Panthers won both matchups this season by a combined 42 points — can the Eagles flip the script and achieve an upset victory on their way to the big dance?
Find out below as we make a prediction and break down the spread, total, and money line bets.
Winthrop vs. High Point Betting Preview
All Winthrop vs. High Point odds are from Fanduel Sportsbook and are correct as of Sunday, March 9, 2025.
- Spread
High Point -6.5 - Moneyline
High Point -250, Winthrop +210 - Over/Under
160.5 Points - Game Time
Sunday, March 9, 12:00 p.m. ET - Location
Freedom Hall | Johnson City, TN - How To Watch
ESPN2
Winthrop is 17-13 ATS this season, including 11-7 in Big South. They’ve covered each of their last five games and eight of their previous nine.
High Point has a 16-15 overall and 11-7 conference record ATS. They’ve also been on fire, covering six of their last seven contests.
The Eagles play extremely fast, scoring 85.1 points per game and giving up 78.2 points per game. That’s led to 18 of their 30 games going over the point total, including 12 of 19 conference outings.
Meanwhile, the Panthers have gone over in only 15 of 31 games on the season and—led by a stingy defense—have gone under the point total in six of their last seven games.
Winthrop vs. High Point Preview
High Point enters this matchup with a 28-5 overall record and a 16-2 record in the Big South. They’ve claimed the regular-season title and are now seeking the conference tournament championship. They’re enjoying a 13-game win streak and hope it’ll carry them to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
The Eagles hold a 13-5 Big South record and have gone 23-10 overall. They finished second in the end-of-season conference standings but have won each of their last five games, inspiring belief that they can pull off the championship game upset.
They’re led by a quartet of solid seniors, headlined by 6’7″ forward Kelton Talford. He’s averaging a team-leading 15.8 ppg and 7.8 rpg. In the two conference tournament games, he’s totaled 23 rebounds.
Fellow forward K.J. Doucet contributes 14.1 ppg and 5.5 rpg on 50.3% from the field, while 6’4″ guard Nick Johnson also scores over 12 points a night.
Guard Kasen Harrison has been a difference-maker for Winthrop lately. In the two tournament games, he’s totaled 29 points and 20 assists, the catalyst behind two victories.
The Panthers are led by leading-scorer Kezza Giffa, who averages 15.0 ppg. The senior guard is an excellent slasher with an innate ability to get to the free-throw line.
Kimani Hamilton was High Point’s best player in their semifinal victory over the Radford Highlanders. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, and three assists on only nine shots, an extremely efficient performance.
Down low, 7’0″ Cameroonian center Justin Bobo averages only 5.1 ppg but grabs a team-high 8.5 rpg. Earlier in the season, he notched a 19-point, 21-rebound effort, showing his ability to dominate at times.
Both teams average over 80 ppg on the offensive end of the floor, so it should be a highly competitive shootout with both teams playing for their seasons.
Best Bets and Final Score Prediction
As I mentioned, these squads like to get up and down the floor — quickly. They combine to average over 185 ppg this season, which makes the set point total of 160.5 points a bit questionable.
Conference title games often tend to be lower-scoring affairs, which Vegas may be banking on.
But with Winthrop’s bad defense, it’s hard to see this game finishing lower than the low-80s.
Therefore, take over 160.5 points, as this one should be a barnburner.
The spread set at only High Point -6.5 also raises questions, considering they beat Winthrop by an average of 21 points in the regular season, and the game was never in doubt.
The Panthers ultimately dominated the Eagles, so why would it be any different here?
The main argument is that conference title games tend to be close, hard-fought matchups. While this will be a back-and-forth game, Winthrop doesn’t have what it takes to defeat High Point, but they have enough to cover.
KEEP READING: UC San Diego’s Fairytale Run: How a Former D-II Team Became a March Madness Threat
The Panthers may create separation at some point, but with the Eagles playing with extreme desperation, I expect it to be a close finish. But in the end, High Point will punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
Picks: Over 160.5 Points, Winthrop +6.5
Prediction: High Point 86, Winthrop 82
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
