Pacific Tigers vs Illinois State Redbirds NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/7/24
Betting on today’s Tigers and Redbirds game? Catch the action at CEFCU Arena in Normal, IL, as the Redbirds hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on MARQ. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Illinois State as the -7 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 143.5 points.
PACIFIC TIGERS VS ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Illinois State Redbirds -7
This game will be played at CEFCU Arena at 7:00 ET on Saturday, December 7th.
WHY BET THE ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-68 in favor of the Redbirds.
- Not only will Illinois State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Will the Tigers Pull Through as the Away Underdog?
Pacific Tigers Recent Game/Games
Pacific fell to 3-5 on the season after a 75-66 road loss to Colorado on Monday. Despite being +14.5 point underdogs, the Tigers kept the game closer than expected. The total points for the game were 141, just under the O/U line of 144.
Pacific led 38-29 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring only 28 points while allowing 46. They’ll need to address their 2nd half performance moving forward.
Pacific’s offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 36.5% from the field and 25% from three-point range, finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 39.7%. They managed 66 points, with Elias Ralph leading the way, scoring 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting.
Andrej Jakimovski and Elijah Fisher each added 17 points, with Jakimovski hitting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Pacific grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out just 8 assists, while shooting 66.7% from the free-throw line.
Pacific’s defense gave up 75 points in this one, with their opponent shooting 42% from the field on 25 of 59 attempts. Inside the arc, the Tigers held them to 42% shooting, as they went 16 for 38 on two-point shots.
From three-point range, Pacific allowed 9 made threes on 21 attempts, a 42% clip. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 16 for 76%. On the glass, the Tigers gave up 9 offensive rebounds.
Can The Redbirds Secure a Home Victory?
Illinois State fell to 3-4 on the season after a 99-97 loss to Belmont on Wednesday. The Redbirds were +5 point underdogs going into the game, but they managed to cover the spread. The total points in the game reached 196, well over the 151.5 O/U line.
Illinois State trailed 54-45 at halftime but tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 34 points while scoring 43 of their own. Despite the improved defense, they couldn’t complete the comeback.
Illinois State poured in 97 points in their latest game, shooting 53.8% from the field and knocking down 18 threes at a 54.5% clip. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 67.7%, and they hit 90% from the free-throw line.
Isaiah Walker led the way with 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting, while Dalton Banks dished out 9 assists. The Redbirds had 24 assists as a team, with 5 players hitting double figures in scoring.
Illinois State’s defense struggled, giving up 99 points on 48% shooting from the field. Opponents hit 45 of 92 attempts, including 32 of 58 from two-point range, where they shot 55%.
From beyond the arc, Illinois State allowed 13 threes on 34 attempts, a 38% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 22 times, where they made 15 free throws (68%).