Pittsburgh Panthers vs Mississippi State Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/4/24

The Panthers and Bulldogs are set to face off at 9:15 ET on SECN. The Bulldogs will host the game at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS. The over/under for this game is set at 149.5 points, and Mississippi State is favored by -5.5 against Pittsburgh in a non-conference matchup.

PITTSBURGH PANTHERS VS MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Pittsburgh Panthers +5.5

This game will be played at Humphrey Coliseum at 9:15 ET on Wednesday, December 4th.

WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PANTHERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Bulldogs.
• Even though we have Mississippi State winning straight-up, we like Pittsburgh at +5.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 149.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Will the Panthers Come Through as Road Underdogs?

Pittsburgh Panthers Recent Game/Games

Pittsburgh improved to 7-1 on the season with a 91-90 win over Ohio State on Friday, November 29th. The Panthers were +5.5 point underdogs heading into the game and covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game reached 181, surpassing the over/under line of 146.5.

Pittsburgh trailed 48-39 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Buckeyes 38-29.

Pittsburgh put up 91 points in their latest game, shooting 44.8% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.7%, and they connected on 76.7% of their free throws, going 23-for-30 from the line.

Jaland Lowe led the way with 28 points, despite missing all 5 of his three-point attempts. Bruce Thornton added 24 points and 9 assists, hitting 3-of-5 from deep, while Zack Austin knocked down 5 threes at a 62.5% clip. Micah Parrish was perfect from three, hitting all 4 of his attempts.

Despite Pittsburgh’s defensive efforts, they allowed 90 points while the opposing team shot 51% from the field, hitting 30 of their 58 attempts. Inside the arc, the Panthers gave up 19 two-point baskets on 38 attempts, a 50% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Pittsburgh’s defense struggled, allowing 11 made threes on 20 attempts, a 55% success rate. The opposing team also went to the free-throw line 29 times, converting 19 of those for 65%. Pittsburgh allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Can Mississippi State Deliver Being Favored at Home?

Mississippi State dropped to 6-1 on the season after an 87-77 home loss to Butler on Friday, November 29th. The Bulldogs were -8.5 point favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread.

Mississippi State trailed 40-34 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap, allowing 47 points in the 2nd half while scoring 43. The game’s total points of 164 exceeded the O/U line of 145.5.

Mississippi State put up 77 points in their last game, shooting 37.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 43.5%. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25.9% of their threes (7/27), but were strong at the free-throw line, converting 85.7% (18/21).

Jahmyl Telfort led the way with 24 points, shooting 4/7 from three (57.1%). Riley Kugel, Josh Hubbard, and Pierre Brooks II each added 22 points, with Brooks hitting 3/5 from deep (60.0%). The Bulldogs finished with 11 offensive rebounds and 9 assists in the game.

Even though Mississippi State allowed 87 points, they held their opponent to just 37% shooting from the field, including 25% from beyond the arc, where they made 7 of 27 attempts. Inside the arc, the opposition shot 45% on 19 of 42 attempts.

Mississippi State sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 18 free throws for 85%. The Bulldogs also gave up 11 offensive rebounds in this game.