Maine Black Bears vs Canisius Golden Griffins NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/14/24

Planning on watching today’s Black Bears and Golden Griffins game? Catch the action at Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo, NY, as the Golden Griffins hosts this showdown at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. Maine is favored by -8 in this non-conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 137.5 points.

MAINE BLACK BEARS VS CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Canisius Golden Griffins +8

This game will be played at Koessler Athletic Center at 1:00 ET on Saturday, December 14th.

WHY BET THE CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-71 in favor of the Golden Griffins.
• Not only will Canisius pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +8.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 137.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Can the Black Bears Lock in a Win at Buffalo?

Maine Black Bears Recent Game/Games

Maine pulled their record to 5-5 with a 61-56 road win over Duquesne on Wednesday. The Black Bears entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs and covered the spread with the win.

After a 29-29 tie at halftime, Maine outscored Duquesne 32-27 in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 117 fell short of the 133.5 O/U line.

Maine’s offense put up 61 points in their last game, shooting 46.9% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range, hitting 4 of 9 attempts. They were strong at the free-throw line, connecting on 81.2% of their shots, going 13 for 16.

AJ Lopez led the way with 17 points, shooting 63.6% from the field, while Tre Dinkins III added 12 points, hitting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. Kellen Tynes also contributed 12 points, despite shooting just 18.2% overall.

Maine’s defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 56 points on 34% shooting. They were particularly effective inside, where they limited the opposition to 28% on two-point attempts (9/32).

However, the Black Bears allowed 11 threes on 26 attempts (42%). They also sent the other team to the line 11 times, where they made 5 free throws (45%). Maine gave up 20 offensive rebounds.

Will the Golden Griffins Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?

Canisius fell to 0-10 on the season after a 66-53 home loss to Siena on Sunday. The Golden Griffins entered the game as +4.5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

After a 24-24 tie at halftime, Canisius was outscored 42-29 in the second half. The game’s total points of 119 fell short of the 134-point O/U line.

Canisius struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 53 points with a field goal percentage of 40.5% (17/42) and an effective field goal percentage of 45.2%. They hit 4 of 12 from beyond the arc (33.3%) and connected on 15 of 19 free throws (78.9%).

On the boards, Canisius managed only 3 offensive rebounds, and they finished with 7 assists as a team. Paul McMillan IV led the way with 22 points and 4 assists, shooting 50% from the field.

Canisius held their opponent to 66 points, allowing them to shoot 40% from the field on 17/42 shooting. Inside the arc, they gave up 13/30 shooting for 43%.

From three-point range, Canisius allowed 4/12 shooting, or 33%. They sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they hit 15 for 78%. Canisius also limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 3.