Murray State Racers vs Bradley Braves Prediction, 3/1/2026 College Basketball Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Murray State Racers vs Bradley Braves

Date: Sunday, March 1, 2026

Location: Carver Arena in Peoria, IL

TV: ESPN+

Carver Arena is where the Bradley Braves (19-11) will take on the Murray State Racers (20-10) on Sunday.

The Murray State Racers faced Evansville and took home the win by a score of 88-75 in their last game. In regard to fouls, the Racers walked away with 15 while Evansville accounted for 21 fouls. They also buried 12 out of their 29 attempts from beyond the perimeter. Evansville went 83.3% from the free throw line by knocking down 5 of their 6 tries. Moreover, Evansville grabbed 23 boards (2 offensive, 21 defensive), but didn't notch a block. Evansville earned 13 assists and had 3 steals for the contest. In the matter of defending, Murray State allowed the other team to go 48.3% from the floor on 29 of 60 shooting. They also doled out 16 dimes in this game while forcing the other team into 11 turnovers and earning 8 steals. In reference to rebounding, they earned 34 with 8 of them being on the offensive end. At the free throw line, the Racers knocked down 24 of 26 tries for a percentage of 92.3%. Murray State wrapped up the contest having earned a 41.7% FG percentage (25 of 60) and converted 14 of their 36 shots from beyond the arc.

KJ Tenner is a player who played a role in the matchup. He ended up shooting 50.0% from the floor and earned 6 assists. He was on the court for 39 mins and also pulled down 5 rebounds. He recorded 20 points on 4 of 8 shooting.

Get all of our NCAA Betting Picks

Murray State enters this game with a record of 20-10 on the year. They have an average of 83.7 points per game (32nd in the nation) while shooting 46.5% from the floor. The Racers are hitting 34.7% on shots from 3-point land (286 of 824) and 76.1% from the charity stripe. As a team, Murray State is pulling down 36.8 boards per contest and has earned 413 dimes so far this year, which is 149th in the nation in terms of passing the rock. They lose possession by turning the ball over 12.0 times per contest and as a squad they are committing 18.2 fouls per contest.

On defense, the Racers are forcing 11.6 turnovers per contest while drawing 19.8 fouls. They are surrendering 36.5% on 3-point shots while they are 316th in D-1 in points per game allowed (79.3). The Racers are giving up a FG percentage of 46.9% (883 of 1,882) and they surrender 34.7 rebounds per game as a squad. They are ranked 162nd in D-1 in giving up assists with 378 surrendered for the year.

When they last stepped on the court, the Bradley Braves went home defeated by a final of 93-86 when they played UIC. With respect to rebounding, Bradley permitted UIC to collect 36 overall (5 on the offensive glass). They shot 47.8% from downtown by going 11 out of 23 and finished the game at 22 of 32 from the free throw line (68.8%). The Braves allowed UIC to bury 30 of 58 tries from the field which gave them a rate of 51.7% for the contest. In all, the Braves shot 29 for 70 from the field which gave them a rate of 41.4%. When it comes to shots from beyond the perimeter, Bradley buried 12 of 33 attempts (36.4%). They were able to knock down 16 of them for a clip of 66.7%. UIC committed 21 fouls for the matchup which took the Braves to the free throw line for 24 attempts. They gave up possession of the ball 11 times, while getting 8 steals in this contest. The Braves pulled down 23 defensive boards and 13 offensive boards totaling 36 for the matchup.

Jaquan Johnson ended up being important for the Braves in the matchup. He earned 25 points in his 43 minutes of playing time and added 3 assists for this game. He made 6 of 16 for the matchup giving him a field goal percentage of 37.5%, and added 3 rebounds.

Bradley has a mark of 19-11 on the campaign. The Braves are responsible for committing 18.6 fouls every game and they go 72.9% from the charity stripe. They are assisting teammates 13.0 times per contest (251st in college) and they lose possession via turnover 9.7 times per contest. Bradley has scored 2,314 pts on the year (77.1 per contest) and they pull in 34.5 boards per game. When it comes to offensive execution, the Braves are shooting 43.6% from the field, which ranks them 276th in college.

The Bradley defense surrenders 35.5% on 3-pointers (243 of 684) and their opponents are connecting on 70.9% of their free throw shots. They have relinquished 13.3 assists and 36.3 boards every game, which ranks them 171st and 297th in D-1. The Braves on the defensive side of the court are 154th in the nation in points per game surrendered with 72.9. They are able to force 14.0 turnovers on a nightly basis and have allowed teams to shoot 44.9% from the floor (229th in college).

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Murray State

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.