Washington State Cougars vs Portland Pilots NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/28/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cougars and Pilots. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Pilots at Chiles Center in Portland, OR. Get ready to place your bets! In this non-conference matchup, Washington State is favored by -13.5 against Portland. The over/under for the game is 150.5 points.

WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS VS PORTLAND PILOTS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Portland Pilots +13.5

This game will be played at Chiles Center at 8:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th.

WHY BET THE PORTLAND PILOTS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Pilots.
• Not only will Portland pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +13.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 150.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Can the Washington State Offense Score Enough on the Road?

Washington State Cougars Recent Game/Games

Washington State improved to 10-3 on the season with a 76-68 road win over Northern Iowa on Saturday, December 21st. The Cougars entered the game as 4-point favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game ended at 144, just under the O/U line of 148.5.

Washington State dominated the 1st half, leading 49-26 at the break. However, they allowed Northern Iowa to score 42 points in the 2nd half while only putting up 27 points themselves.

Washington State’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 76 points while shooting 59.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 66.7%, thanks in large part to their 75.8% shooting on two-point attempts. They connected on 7 of 21 three-pointers, shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc.

The Cougars dished out 23 assists, with Nate Calmese contributing 6 of them to go along with his 16 points. Leon Bond III and Tytan Anderson each scored 17 points, while Dane Erikstrup added 15 points, hitting 3 of 4 threes and shooting 85.7% overall. LeJuan Watts also had a strong performance, scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Washington State’s defense held their opponent to 68 points on 39% shooting from the field. They allowed 20 two-point field goals on 39 attempts, a 51% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, Washington State limited their opponent to just 4 made threes on 22 attempts, an 18% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 23 times, where they made 16, shooting 69%.

Does Portland Have What it Takes at Home?

Portland improved to 3-8 on the season with a 74-64 win over Lafayette on Saturday, December 21st. Playing at home, the Pilots entered the game as -2.5 favorites and covered the spread. The combined points of 138 fell just short of the 140.5 O/U line.

Portland took control early, leading 31-22 at halftime. They scored 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42, holding off Lafayette’s comeback attempt.

Portland put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field and 47.4% from three-point range, hitting 9 of 19 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 57.7%, and they were strong at the free-throw line, converting 88.2% of their shots.

Chris Austin led the way with 20 points, hitting 2 of 2 from deep, while Justin Vander Baan added 17 points and 5 rebounds. Austin Rapp contributed 15 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field.

Despite Portland’s defense allowing 64 points on 48% shooting from the field, they managed to hold their opponent to just 3 offensive rebounds. The Pilots gave up 16 two-point baskets on 33 attempts, with the opposition shooting 48% from inside the arc.

From beyond the three-point line, Portland’s defense allowed 9 threes on 19 attempts, a 47% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 15 of their attempts, shooting 88%.