Montana State Bobcats vs USC Trojans NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/15/24

Looking to win big? The Bobcats and Trojans face off at 8:00 ET on BTN. The Trojans are hosting the game at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. The over/under for this game is set at 140.5 points, and USC is favored by -9 against Montana State in a non-conference matchup.

MONTANA STATE BOBCATS VS USC TROJANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Montana State Bobcats +9

This game will be played at Galen Center at 8:00 ET on Sunday, December 15th.

WHY BET THE MONTANA STATE BOBCATS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-72 in favor of the Trojans.
• Even though we have USC winning straight-up, we like Montana State at +9.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 140.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Does Montana State Have What it Takes on the Road?

Montana State Bobcats Recent Game/Games

Montana State improved to 4-5 on the season with a 74-62 win over Kansas City on Saturday, December 7th. Playing at home, the Bobcats entered the game as -8.5 favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game were 136, just under the O/U line of 139.

Montana State took control early, leading 34-23 at halftime. While they allowed 39 points in the 2nd half, they scored 40 of their own to secure the win.

Montana State put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 49.1% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 60.4%. They connected on 40.7% of their three-point attempts, going 11-for-27 from deep, while hitting 57.7% of their two-point shots.

Davontae Hall led the way with 18 points in 22 minutes, hitting 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Max Agbonkpolo added 17 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 3-of-7 from three, while Brandon Walker contributed 16 points, making his only three-point attempt.

Montana State’s defense gave up 62 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 49% from the field. The Bobcats struggled to contain two-point attempts, with opponents hitting 57% of their shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Montana State’s defense allowed 11 threes on 27 attempts, a 40% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 16 times, where they converted 11 free throws, shooting 68%. Montana State allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Does USC Stand a Chance at Home?

USC improved to 6-4 on the season with an 85-61 win over Washington on Saturday. The Trojans entered the game as +4 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they covered the spread in convincing fashion. The total points for the game hit 146, going over the pre-game O/U line of 142.5.

USC dominated early, leading 51-25 at halftime. While they allowed 36 points in the 2nd half, they still managed to score 34 points of their own to maintain a comfortable lead throughout the game.

USC’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 85 points while shooting 64% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 72%, thanks in part to their 73.5% shooting on two-pointers and 43.8% from beyond the arc.

The Trojans also hit 82.4% of their free throws, though they only managed 2 offensive rebounds. Desmond Claude led the way with 20 points and 4 assists, while Saint Thomas and Wesley Yates III each added 19 points, with Yates hitting 3 of 6 from deep.

USC’s defense held their opponent to 61 points on 39% shooting from the field. They allowed 22 field goals on 56 attempts.

From beyond the arc, USC’s defense limited their opponent to 5 made threes on 19 attempts, a 26% shooting rate.