New Mexico Lobos vs Santa Clara Broncos Betting Pick & Prediction 12/9/23

Looking to win big? The Lobos and Broncos face off at 5:00 ET on ESPN+. The Broncos are hosting the game at Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV. The Lobos come into this non-conference matchup as the betting favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 158 points.

NEW MEXICO LOBOS VS SANTA CLARA BRONCOS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Santa Clara Broncos +8.5

This game will be played at Dollar Loan Center at 5:00 ET on Saturday, December 9th.

WHY BET THE SANTA CLARA BRONCOS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-70 in favor of the Broncos.
• Not only will Santa Clara pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +8.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 158 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Will New Mexico Make it Happen on the Road?

New Mexico comes into this game with a record of 8-1 following a dominant 106-62 victory over New Mexico State. In their last ten road games, which includes games from last year, New Mexico has a record of 3-7. Before today’s game, New Mexico has a 6-2 record against the spread (ATS). In terms of ATS performance, they are 2-1 on the road and 4-1 at home.

Looking at their over/under performance through nine games, New Mexico has an over/under record of 4-4-0, with their games averaging 153.6 points per game on average. The Lobos’ have recorded an over/under record of 1-2 in their last three games, with their games averaging 150 points per game.

The New Mexico offense is coming off a game in which they scored 106 points vs. New Mexico State. Overall their field goal percentage was 60.4% while connecting on 14 threes. The team’s top scorer is Donovan Dent, who comes into today’s matchup with an average of 17.1, while JT Toppin also maintains a PPG average of 12.9 leading up to the game.

This season, the New Mexico defense has been impressive, holding the 83rd position in the country while permitting an average of 67.3 points per contest. Against New Mexico State in their most recent game, the New Mexico defense gave up a total of 62 points while allowing New Mexico State to hit 60% of their shots.

Will Santa Clara Win at Home?

Today, Santa Clara will face New Mexico with a record of 7-2. So far this season, Santa Clara has gone 1-1 when playing on the road and 4-1 when playing at home. Regarding their ATS record, Santa Clara has been performing below average at 2-5. Specifically at home, Santa Clara is 1-4 ATS this season and 1-7 ATS in their last ten home games.

Looking at their over/under performance through nine games, Santa Clara has an over/under record of 2-5-0, with their games averaging 142.3 points per game on average. In the Broncos’ last five games, the combined scoring average stands at 152 points per game, accompanied by an over/under record of 1-2.

Compared to their season average of 79.2 points per game, Santa Clara struggled in their previous game. Against California, the Broncos scored 69 points while finishing with a field goal percentage of 38%. Offensively, the Broncos hold a season-long field goal percentage of 47%, placing them 96th in the national rankings. When it comes to three-pointers, they are ranked 126th in terms of percentage and 74th in three-pointers made.

So far, the Broncos’ defense is ranked 116th in the country at 69.8 points per contest. The Santa Clara defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 84 points and allowed California to connect on 9 threes.