Northwestern State Demons vs California Golden Bears NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/14/24

Looking to win big? The Demons and Golden Bears face off at 3:00 ET on ACC. The Golden Bears are hosting the game at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, CA. The over/under for this game is set at 144.5 points, and California is favored by -14.5 against Northwestern State in a non-conference matchup.

NORTHWESTERN STATE DEMONS VS CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Northwestern State Demons +14.5

This game will be played at Haas Pavilion at 3:00 ET on Saturday, December 14th.

WHY BET THE NORTHWESTERN STATE DEMONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Golden Bears.
• Even though we have California winning straight-up, we like Northwestern State at +14.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Do the Demons Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Northwestern State improved to 3-5 on the season with a 64-57 road win over Houston Christian on Saturday. The Demons, who were -3.5 favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

Northwestern State led 33-26 at halftime and matched the Huskies with 31 points in the second half. The game’s total points of 121 fell short of the 134.5 O/U line.

Northwestern State put up 64 points in their last game, shooting 52% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 56%. They connected on 59% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 11 threes for 27.3%.

At the free-throw line, the Demons shot 81.8%, and they grabbed 8 offensive rebounds. Addison Patterson led the way with 25 points on 10 of 16 shooting, while Jon Sanders II added 17 points, hitting 2 of 4 from three-point range.

Northwestern State’s defense held their opponent to just 57 points, despite allowing a 54% shooting rate from two-point range (17/31). They limited damage from beyond the arc, where the other team shot just 23% (5/21).

The Demons sent their opponent to the line 13 times, where they hit 8 free throws (61%). Northwestern State also gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Will California Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

California Golden Bears Recent Game/Games

The Golden Bears fell to 6-4 on the season after an 88-80 loss to Cornell on Tuesday. Playing at home, California entered the game as -9 favorites but failed to cover the spread.

California trailed 47-29 at halftime but showed fight in the second half, outscoring Cornell 51-41. The total points for the game ended at 168, just over the 166.5 O/U line.

California’s offense put up 80 points in their latest game, shooting 43.8% from the field and hitting 36.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 12 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.1%, and they added 17 offensive rebounds to their effort.

AK Okereke led the way with 24 points and 6 rebounds, while Joshua Ola-Joseph and Cooper Noard each added 21 points. Ola-Joseph was particularly effective from deep, hitting 5 of 7 threes at a 71.4% rate.

California’s defense struggled, giving up 88 points on 43% shooting. They allowed 51% from two-point range, with the opposing team hitting 16 of 31 attempts.

From beyond the arc, California’s opponents went 12/33, shooting 36%. They also sent them to the line 16 times, where they made 12 free throws (75%). California gave up 17 offensive rebounds.