Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs Mississippi State Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Wildcats and Bulldogs. The game is starting at 9:00 ET on SECN, and it’s hosted by the Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 145.5 points, and Mississippi State is favored by -29.5 at home against Bethune-Cookman.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS VS MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats +29.5

This game will be played at Humphrey Coliseum at 9:00 ET on Monday, December 30th.

WHY BET THE BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-72 in favor of the Bulldogs.
• Even though we have Mississippi State winning straight-up, we like Bethune-Cookman at +29.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Will the Wildcats Win on the Road?

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Bethune-Cookman fell to 3-9 on the season after a 76-63 road loss to Davidson on Saturday, December 21st. The Wildcats entered the game as +14 point underdogs but managed to keep the game closer than expected.

Bethune-Cookman trailed 41-34 at halftime and were outscored 35-29 in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 139 came in just under the 143.5 O/U line.

In their latest game, Bethune-Cookman managed just 63 points, shooting 40.4% from the field and 22.2% from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of 18 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.2%, and they struggled at the free-throw line, converting 63% of their 27 attempts.

Offensively, the Wildcats recorded 7 offensive rebounds and 6 assists. Bobby Durkin stood out with 23 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 50% from three-point range, hitting 6 of 12 attempts. Reed Bailey contributed 19 points and 5 assists, while Zach Laput added 15 points, shooting 66.7% from the field.

Despite Bethune-Cookman giving up 76 points, they struggled to contain their opponent’s offense, allowing them to shoot 52% from the field. This included 56% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 18 of 32 shots inside the arc.

The Wildcats also had trouble defending the perimeter, as their opponent connected on 47% of their three-point attempts, going 9 for 19. From the free-throw line, Bethune-Cookman sent them to the stripe 19 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 68%.

Can the Bulldogs Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

Mississippi State improved to 11-1 on the season with a 79-66 road win over Memphis on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who were -2 favorites, covered the spread, while the game’s total points of 145 fell short of the 150.5 O/U line.

Mississippi State took control early, leading 48-32 at halftime, but allowed Memphis to outscore them 34-31 in the second half.

Mississippi State put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 44.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.4%. They hit 10 threes at a 37% clip and went 7/10 from the free-throw line. The Bulldogs grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and dished out 18 assists.

PJ Haggerty led the way with 24 points, shooting 53.8% overall. Tyrese Hunter and Riley Kugel each added 19 points, with Hunter hitting 4 threes and Kugel shooting 61.5% from the field. Cameron Matthews contributed 12 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 83.3% from the floor.

Mississippi State’s defense held their opponent to 66 points on 35% shooting from the field. They limited two-point shots to 42% (11/26).

From beyond the arc, their opponent shot 29% (8/27). Mississippi State sent them to the line 26 times, where they made 20 free throws (76%).