Utah Tech Trailblazers vs FIU Golden Panthers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Trailblazers and Golden Panthers. The game is starting at 12:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Golden Panthers at Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami, FL. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 147.5 points, and FIU is favored by -5.5 at home against Utah Tech.

UTAH TECH TRAILBLAZERS VS FIU GOLDEN PANTHERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: FIU Golden Panthers -5.5

This game will be played at Ocean Bank Convocation Center at 12:00 ET on Monday, December 30th.

WHY BET THE FIU GOLDEN PANTHERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 86-63 in favor of the Golden Panthers.
• Not only will FIU pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 149 points.

No Pressure for Utah Tech as Away Dogs

Utah Tech picked up a 92-87 home win over South Dakota on Thursday, improving to 2-10 for the season. The Trailblazers entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs and covered the spread with the win.

Trailing 42-39 at halftime, Utah Tech turned things around in the 2nd half, scoring 53 points while allowing 45. The game’s total points reached 179, going over the pre-game O/U line of 163.5.

Utah Tech put up 92 points in their last game, shooting 49.2% from the field and 44.8% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.5%, and they added 13 offensive rebounds and 21 assists.

Kaleb Stewart led the way with 26 points, shooting 68.8% overall and 60% from deep. Noa Gonsalves hit 6 threes at 54.5%, finishing with 22 points, while Beon Riley contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Utah Tech’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 87 points on 49% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 52% of their two-point attempts, with 19 makes on 36 tries.

From beyond the arc, Utah Tech’s opponent connected on 13 of 29 three-point attempts, shooting 44%. They also sent their opponent to the line 23 times, where they made 15 free throws, shooting 65%. Utah Tech gave up 13 offensive rebounds.

Can FIU Grab a Win at Home?

FIU improved to 3-7 on the season with a 75-69 road win over the Jaguars on Saturday. Despite being favored by 7.5 points, the Golden Panthers didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 144, just over the 143.5 O/U line.

FIU’s defense stepped up in the second half, allowing just 26 points after giving up 43 in the first half. The Golden Panthers scored 47 points after halftime to complete the comeback.

FIU’s offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 43.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.9%, thanks in large part to hitting 53.3% from three-point range, connecting on 8 of 15 attempts. They also shot 77.8% from the free-throw line, making 21 of 27 shots.

Jarvis Walker led the way with 24 points, hitting 5 of 9 threes and adding 6 assists. Dashon Gittens, Paul Zilinskas, and Asim Jones each contributed 15 points, with Gittens shooting 75% from deep. FIU grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and finished with 13 assists as a team.

Despite FIU’s defensive efforts, they allowed 69 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 39% from the field. FIU held them to 38% shooting on two-point attempts, as they made just 10 of 26 shots.

From beyond the arc, the opposing team hit 13 of 32 threes, shooting 40%. FIU sent them to the line 15 times, where they converted 10 free throws, shooting 66%. FIU also gave up 15 offensive rebounds.