Siena Saints vs Niagara Purple Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/6/24
The Saints and Purple Eagles are set to face off at 6:30 ET on ESPN+. The Purple Eagles will host the game at Gallagher Center in Niagara Falls, NY. The over/under for this game is set at 129 points, and Niagara is favored by -2 vs. Siena in a Metro Atlantic Athletic conference matchup.
SIENA SAINTS VS NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Niagara Purple Eagles -2
This game will be played at Gallagher Center at 6:30 ET on Friday, December 6th.
WHY BET THE NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Purple Eagles.
- Not only will Niagara pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 129 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can Siena Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?
The Saints evened their record at 4-4 with a 71-58 win over Bucknell on Saturday. Siena, who were +3.5 point underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The total points for the game were 129, just under the O/U line of 133.5.
Siena took control early, leading 31-21 at halftime. They scored 40 points in the 2nd half while allowing 37, holding off Bucknell’s attempts to close the gap.
Siena’s offense put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 46.5% from the field and hitting 47.1% from beyond the arc (8/17). Their effective field goal percentage was 55.8%, and they were strong at the free-throw line, converting 82.1% of their attempts (23/28).
Major Freeman led the way with 21 points, shooting 54.5% overall and 60% from three (3/5). Justice Shoats added 19 points, while Brendan Coyle knocked down 4 threes, shooting 66.7% from deep and from the field overall.
Siena’s defense gave up 58 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 46% from the field. They allowed 12 two-point field goals on 26 attempts, also at a 46% rate.
From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 8 of 17 threes, shooting 47%. Siena also sent them to the line 28 times, where they made 23 free throws, an 82% success rate. The Saints gave up 5 offensive rebounds.
Can Niagara Deliver Being Favored at Home?
Niagara improved to 2-5 on the season with a 60-52 win over LIU on Sunday. The Purple Eagles, who were -3.5 favorites, not only picked up the win but also covered the spread. The game’s total points of 112 fell well short of the O/U line of 136.5.
Niagara led 27-22 at halftime and scored 33 points in the 2nd half while allowing 30. The win at home gives them some momentum as they look to build on this victory.
Niagara’s offense put up 60 points in their last game, shooting 48.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.8%. They were strong inside, hitting 65.2% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 30% of their threes (6/20).
Terell Strickland led the way with 17 points, shooting 3/4 from three-point range, while Malachi Davis and Jahari Williamson each added 15 points. Olumide Adelodun and Jhaylon Martinez both shot 80% from the field, contributing 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Even though Niagara gave up 52 points, they struggled defensively, allowing their opponent to shoot 48% from the field. The Purple Eagles had particular trouble inside, where they gave up 65% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team hitting 15 of 23 shots.
Niagara did manage to limit the damage from beyond the arc, holding their opponent to 30% shooting on threes, with just 6 makes on 20 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 12 for 70%. Niagara allowed 5 offensive rebounds in the game.