East Carolina Pirates vs South Florida Bulls NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24

Betting on today’s Pirates and Bulls game? Catch the action at Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL, as the Bulls hosts this showdown at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 144.5 points, and South Florida is favored by -1.5 vs. East Carolina in a American Athletic conference matchup.

EAST CAROLINA PIRATES VS SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: South Florida Bulls -1.5

This game will be played at Yuengling Center at 3:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Bulls.
• Not only will South Florida pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Can the Pirates Pull Off a Win at Tampa?

East Carolina Pirates Recent Game/Games

East Carolina fell to 6-5 on the season after a 84-79 home loss to Gardner-Webb on Saturday. The Pirates, who were -10.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

ECU led 37-35 at halftime but allowed 49 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42. The game’s total points of 163 exceeded the O/U line of 144.5.

East Carolina put up 79 points in their last game, shooting just 39.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 43.8%. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 28% of their threes (7/25), while connecting on 46.2% of their two-point attempts (18/39). At the free-throw line, the Pirates made 22 of 36 attempts, shooting 61.1%.

Darryl Simmons II led the way with 29 points, shooting 75% from the field and 83.3% from three (5/6). RJ Felton added 19 points despite shooting just 26.7% overall. Cam Hayes, Jordan Riley, and Anthony Selden each contributed 18 points, with Riley also grabbing 8 rebounds. Isaiah Richards was efficient, shooting 75% from the floor and pulling down 13 rebounds.

Despite East Carolina’s defense holding the opposing team to 39% shooting, the Pirates still gave up 84 points. They allowed 18 two-point baskets on 39 attempts, with the other team shooting 46% from inside the arc.

From three-point range, East Carolina’s defense limited the other team to 28% shooting, as they made 7 of 25 attempts. However, the Pirates sent them to the free-throw line 36 times, where they converted 22 free throws.

Can South Florida Deliver Being Favored at Home?

South Florida improved to 6-6 on the season with an 88-62 win over East Texas A&M on Saturday, December 21st. The Bulls, who were -11.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

South Florida took control early, leading 49-26 at halftime. They scored 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36. The combined points of 150 went over the O/U line of 144.5.

South Florida’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 88 points with a field goal percentage of 60.7% (34/56). Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 71.4%, thanks to 72.4% shooting inside the arc (21/29) and 48.1% from three-point range (13/27). They also connected on 87.5% of their free throws, hitting 7 of 8 attempts.

The Bulls dished out 23 assists, with Jayden Reid contributing 10 of them, along with 11 points and 3 made threes. Kobe Knox led the team with 19 points, shooting 7 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 from deep. Tay Mosher also had a big game, hitting 4 of 5 threes and finishing with 12 points in just 14 minutes.

Despite a strong offensive showing, South Florida’s defense struggled, giving up 62 points on 60% shooting from the field. The Bulls allowed their opponent to connect on 34 of 56 attempts.

South Florida’s defense was particularly vulnerable inside, where they allowed 21 of 29 two-point shots to fall, a 72% success rate. From beyond the arc, their opponent hit 13 of 27 threes, shooting 48%. The Bulls also sent their opponent to the line 8 times, where they hit 7 free throws, an 87% clip.