Southern Utah Thunderbirds vs Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/18/24

Betting on today’s Thunderbirds and Vaqueros game? Catch the action at UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg, TX, as the Vaqueros hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Texas-Rio Grande Valley as the -2.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 157.5 points.

SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS VS TEXAS-RIO GRANDE VALLEY VAQUEROS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southern Utah Thunderbirds +2.5

This game will be played at UTRGV Fieldhouse at 7:30 ET on Wednesday, December 18th.

WHY BET THE SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-74 in favor of the Vaqueros.
• Even though we have Texas-Rio Grande Valley winning straight-up, we like Southern Utah at +2.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 157.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 149 points.

Can the Thunderbirds Grab a Win in Edinburg?

Southern Utah Thunderbirds Recent Game/Games

Southern Utah’s record dropped to 5-4 after a 72-69 road loss to New Mexico State on Monday. The Thunderbirds were +5 point underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread.

After leading 33-32 at halftime, Southern Utah scored 36 points in the second half but allowed 40. The game’s total points of 141 fell just under the O/U line of 146.

Southern Utah put up 69 points in their last game, shooting 41% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 47.5%. They connected on 8 of 26 three-point attempts, hitting 30.8% from deep, while knocking down 84.6% of their free throws, going 11 for 13 at the line.

Christian Cook and Dominique Ford both scored 19 points, with Cook shooting 61.5% from the field and Ford hitting 4 threes on 11 attempts. Peter Filipovity added 18 points and 9 rebounds, and Brock Felder was efficient, making 5 of 6 shots and grabbing 7 rebounds.

Southern Utah gave up 72 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 44% from the field, converting 26 of 58 attempts. Inside the arc, the Thunderbirds allowed 48% shooting, as the other team went 20/41 on two-point shots.

From three-point range, Southern Utah’s defense held their opponent to 35% shooting, with 6 made threes on 17 attempts. They also sent the other team to the line 16 times, where they hit 14 free throws for 87%. The Thunderbirds allowed 10 offensive rebounds.

Can the Vaqueros Offense Score Enough at Home?

Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s season record fell to 4-4 after a tough 84-52 home loss to Lamar on Saturday. The Vaqueros were -6.5 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread.

They trailed 46-23 at halftime and couldn’t make a comeback in the second half, scoring 29 points while allowing 38. The game’s total points ended at 136, falling short of the 154.5 O/U line.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 52 points and shooting 33.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 37%, largely due to their poor three-point shooting, hitting only 5 of 29 attempts for 17.2%. They were more efficient inside, connecting on 52% of their two-point shots.

At the free-throw line, the Vaqueros were nearly perfect, making 11 of 12 attempts (91.7%). Alexis Marmolejos led the way with 18 points, shooting 53.8% overall and 50% from three. Ja’Sean Jackson added 15 points, hitting 63.6% of his shots, while Andrew Holifield and Adam Hamilton each contributed 12 points, with Hamilton shooting 75% from the field.

Despite giving up 84 points, Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s defense held their opponent to just 33% shooting from the field, allowing 18 made field goals on 54 attempts. They were more effective in limiting three-point shots, as their opponent shot only 17% from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 29 attempts.

From the free-throw line, the opposing team capitalized on their opportunities, making 11 of 12 attempts for a 91% success rate. Texas-Rio Grande Valley also gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.