MTSU Blue Raiders vs Sam Houston State Bearkats Prediction, 2/18/2026 College Basketball Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: MTSU Blue Raiders vs Sam Houston State Bearkats

Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Location: Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, TX

TV: ESPN+

Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum is where the Sam Houston State Bearkats (17-8) will meet the MTSU Blue Raiders (12-13) on Wednesday.

The MTSU Blue Raiders faced off with Western Kentucky and walked away from this one with a loss by a score of 82-80 in their last game. When discussing personal fouls, the Blue Raiders left the arena with 23 while Western Kentucky recorded 17 personal fouls. They buried 8 out of their 22 tries from distance. Western Kentucky went 87.5% at the free throw line by making 28 of 32 tries. Additionally, Western Kentucky snagged 28 rebounds (6 offensive, 22 defensive), but didn't have a block. Western Kentucky totaled 13 dimes and had 5 steals for the game. In reference to defense, MTSU allowed the other team to go 48.9% from the field on 23 out of 47 shooting. They also distributed 14 assists for the matchup while forcing the other team into 14 turnovers and earning 6 steals. With regard to getting rebounds, they earned 31 with 11 of them being on the offensive end. At the charity stripe, the Blue Raiders buried 9 of 13 tries for a percentage of 69.2%. MTSU wrapped up the game with a 48.5% FG percentage (32 out of 66) and converted 7 of 27 shots from beyond the perimeter.

Kamari Lands is one player who was a factor for the game. He ended up going 50.0% from the floor and recorded 3 dimes. He played 34 mins and totaled 5 boards. He was able to score 20 points on 8 of 16 shooting.

Get all of our NCAA Picks Today

MTSU will enter this game with a mark of 12-13 on the season. They cough up possession 11.5 times per game and as a team are committing 17.6 fouls per contest. As a team, MTSU is pulling down 36.6 boards per contest and has racked up 361 assists on the year, which is 196th in college hoops in terms of passing. The Blue Raiders are shooting 34.4% from downtown (239 of 695) and 68.5% from the free throw line. They have an average of 75.4 points per outing (197th in college) while going 44.5% from the floor.

When they are on defense, the Blue Raiders are forcing their opponents into 11.2 turnovers per game while drawing 15.5 fouls. They are giving up 32.9% from beyond the arc while they are 154th in the nation in points per game allowed (72.9). The Blue Raiders defensively are allowing an opponent shooting percentage of 43.9% (636 of 1,448) and they relinquish 34.6 rebounds per game as a team. They are ranked 57th in D-1 in giving up assists with 299 conceded on the season.

The last time they took the hardwood, the Sam Houston State Bearkats got the win with a final of 83-79 when they played Kennesaw State. The Bearkats earned 19 defensive boards and 7 offensive rebounds for a total of 26 in the game. They turned the ball over 11 times, while earning 8 steals in the matchup. Kennesaw State was called for 19 personal fouls for the contest which took the Bearkats to the charity stripe for 27 attempts. They were able to knock down 20 of the free throw attempts for a clip of 74.1%. In reference to shooting from 3-point land, Sam Houston State converted 7 of their 17 tries (41.2%). When all was said and done, the Bearkats ended up shooting 28 out of 51 from the floor which had them shooting 54.9%. The Bearkats permitted Kennesaw State to make 29 out of 61 tries from the floor which gave them a shooting percentage of 47.5% for the contest. They finished 41.7% from 3-point land by shooting 10 of 24 and ended up shooting 11 of 16 at the charity stripe (68.8%). In regard to cleaning the glass, Sam Houston State permitted Kennesaw State to pull down 24 overall (9 offensive).

Damon Nicholas Jr. was important for the Bearkats in the game. He had 21 points in his 36 mins of playing time and had 1 assist in this contest. He buried 6 of 8 for the matchup giving him a field goal percentage of 75.0%, and accounted for 4 rebounds.

Sam Houston State has a record of 17-8 so far this year. On the offensive side of the court, the Bearkats are connecting on 46.8% from the floor, which has them ranked 96th in the nation. Sam Houston State has accumulated 2,074 pts on the year (83.0 per game) and they pull in 40.9 rebounds per game. Their rate of assisting teammates is at 15.5 times per contest (94th in the nation) and they lose possession via turnover 12.1 times per game. The Bearkats are responsible for committing 18.0 fouls per contest and they connect on 71.9% from the free throw line.

The Sam Houston State defense gives up 30.6% on shots from beyond the arc (200 of 653) and opponents are connecting on 69.8% of their shots from the free throw line. They surrender 12.6 dimes and 34.8 rebounds every game, which is 113th and 205th in college hoops. The Bearkats on the defensive side of the court are 193rd in college in points allowed per game with 74.0. They have forced 12.0 turnovers on a nightly basis and have allowed teams to shoot 41.4% from the field (54th in college hoops).

Who will win tonight's NCAA game against the spread?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take MTSU

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Get college basketball picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.