Ball State Cardinals vs SIUE Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

Betting on today’s Cardinals and Cougars game? Catch the action at Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, IL, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 137 points, and SIUE is favored by -3 vs. Ball State.

BALL STATE CARDINALS VS SIUE COUGARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: SIUE Cougars -3

This game will be played at Vadalabene Center at 2:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE SIUE COUGARS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Cougars.
• Not only will SIUE pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 137 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Can the Cardinals Offense Score Enough in Edwardsville?

Ball State dropped to 1-5 on the season after a 73-60 home loss to Richmond on Wednesday. The Cardinals, who were +4 underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 133 narrowly missed the over/under line of 134.

Ball State led 33-30 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 27 points while allowing 43.

In their latest game, Ball State’s offense put up 60 points, shooting 40.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.1%, with a 51.7% success rate on two-pointers and 28% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 25 threes. At the free-throw line, they struggled, converting just 9 of 20 attempts for 45%.

Offensive rebounding was limited to 5, and they recorded 7 assists. DeLonnie Hunt led the way with 28 points, shooting 50% overall and 42.9% from three. Mikkel Tyne added 22 points, hitting 3 of 8 from deep, while Jermahri Hill also contributed 22 points, though he missed all 4 of his three-point attempts. Juanse Gorosito connected on 6 of 10 threes, finishing with 18 points.

Ball State’s defense held their opponent to 73 points on 40% shooting from the field, as they went 22 for 54. Inside the arc, the opponent shot 51%, making 15 of 29 attempts.

From three-point range, Ball State limited their opponent to 7 made threes on 25 attempts, a 28% shooting performance. The opponent also struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 9 of 20 for 45%. Ball State gave up 5 offensive rebounds.

Can the Cougars Hold Strong at Home?

SIUE Cougars Recent Game/Games

SIUE dropped to 3-4 on the season after a 78-73 home loss to North Florida on Friday. The Cougars were +2.5 point underdogs and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 151, just over the O/U line of 149.5.

SIUE led 44-42 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring only 29 points while allowing 36. This second-half performance was a key factor in the loss.

SIUE’s offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 38.9% overall and 30.4% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.4%, and they hit 62.5% of their free throws.

Josh Harris was a standout performer, shooting 81.8% from the field and hitting both of his three-point attempts, finishing with 20 points and 9 rebounds. The Cougars grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and dished out 20 assists in the game.

Despite giving up 78 points, the SIUE Cougars held their opponent to 38% shooting from the field, with a 42% success rate on two-point attempts (21/49).

From beyond the arc, the Cougars limited their opponent to 30% shooting, as they made 7 of 23 three-point attempts. The Cougars also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 10 of their attempts (62%).