California Baptist Lancers vs Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/16/24

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Lancers versus the Blue Raiders? Tip off is at at 7:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Murphy Athletic Center in Murfreesboro, TN. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Middle Tennessee as the -4 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 144 points.

CALIFORNIA BAPTIST LANCERS VS MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders -4

This game will be played at Murphy Athletic Center at 7:30 ET on Monday, December 16th.

WHY BET THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 81-66 in favor of the Blue Raiders.
• Not only will Middle Tennessee pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Will the Lancers Make it Happen on the Road?

California Baptist dropped to 5-5 on the season after an 81-75 road loss to San Diego State on Wednesday. The Lancers were +13.5 point underdogs but managed to cover the spread.

After trailing 40-33 at halftime, the Lancers scored 42 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The total points for the game reached 156, surpassing the O/U line of 136.5.

California Baptist put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 45.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.7%. They hit 12 threes at a 36.4% clip and were perfect from the line, going 5/5.

Dominique Daniels Jr. led the way with 22 points and 6 assists, despite shooting just 38.1% overall and 27.3% from deep. Miles Byrd added 19 points, hitting 4 of 6 from three, while Nick Boyd contributed 16 points and 8 assists.

California Baptist struggled defensively, giving up 81 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 54% from the field. The Lancers couldn’t contain the two-point shots, with the other team hitting 19 of 34 attempts, a 55% success rate.

From beyond the arc, California Baptist’s defense allowed 9 three-pointers on 17 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 52%. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 free throws, shooting 80%.

Can Middle Tennessee Pull Off a Home Win?

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Recent Game/Games

Middle Tennessee fell to 5-3 on the season after a narrow 82-79 loss to Belmont on Saturday. The Blue Raiders were +3 point underdogs going into the game, and the result was a push against the spread. The total points for the game ended at 161, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 155.

After trailing 38-30 at halftime, Middle Tennessee made a strong push in the 2nd half, scoring 49 points while allowing 44. Despite the comeback effort, they couldn’t close the gap entirely.

Middle Tennessee put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 45.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53%. They hit 10 of 26 from beyond the arc, good for 38.5%, and connected on 75% of their free throws, going 9 for 12.

Jlynn Counter led the way with 22 points and 5 assists, knocking down 3 of 6 from deep. Jestin Porter added 21 points, hitting 5 threes on 12 attempts. Essam Mostafa contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Carter Whitt and Isaiah Walker each chipped in 14 points and 8 boards.

Middle Tennessee’s defense gave up 82 points, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field. They allowed 31 made field goals on 73 attempts.

From two-point range, the other team shot 46%, hitting 25 of 54 shots. From beyond the arc, they went 6/19, shooting 31%. Middle Tennessee also sent them to the line 21 times, where they made 14 free throws, shooting 66%.