Portland State Vikings vs Sacramento State Hornets NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Vikings versus the Hornets? Tip off is at at 4:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at The Hornets Nest in Sacramento, CA. Portland State is favored by -5.5 in this Big Sky conference contest against Sacramento State. The game’s over/under currently sits at 141.5 points.
PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS VS SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Sacramento State Hornets +5.5
This game will be played at The Hornets Nest at 4:00 ET on Saturday, January 4th.
WHY BET THE SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Hornets.
- Not only will Sacramento State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +5.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 141.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.
Will the Portland State Defense Show Up on the Road?
Portland State improved to 5-5 on the season with a narrow 59-58 road win over Bakersfield on Saturday. The Vikings entered the game as +4 underdogs and not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
After trailing 30-18 at halftime, Portland State turned things around in the second half, outscoring Bakersfield 41-28. The total points for the game came in well under the O/U line of 143.5, with just 117 combined points.
Portland State managed just 59 points in their latest game, despite shooting 53.8% from the field. They were efficient inside, hitting 63.3% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 2-for-9 (22.2%).
Fidelis Okereke led the way with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Isaiah Johnson added 14 points, missing both of his three-point attempts. Jaylin Henderson also failed to connect from deep, going 0-for-3, though he contributed 12 points and 2 assists.
Portland State’s defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 58 points on 37% shooting from the field. They allowed 16 two-point baskets on 34 attempts, a 47% conversion rate.
From beyond the arc, Portland State limited their opponent to 4 made threes on 19 attempts, a 21% success rate. They also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 14, shooting 82%. Portland State gave up 11 offensive rebounds.
Will Sacramento State Pull Through as the Underdog Home Team?
Sacramento State’s season continued to be a struggle as they fell to 1-9 after an 82-45 loss to Oregon State on Tuesday. The Hornets were +20.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended up at 127, just under the O/U line of 132.5.
After trailing 30-20 at halftime, Sacramento State’s defense faltered in the 2nd half, allowing 52 points while scoring just 25 themselves.
Sacramento State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 45 points with a field goal percentage of 32.1%. Their effective field goal percentage was 35.7%, and they hit only 16.7% of their three-point attempts, going 4-for-24 from beyond the arc.
Free-throw shooting was also an issue, as the Hornets connected on just 5-of-11 attempts (45.5%). Michael Rataj was a bright spot, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field. Liutauras Lelevicius added 12 points, hitting 2-of-4 from three-point range.
Sacramento State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 82 points on 53% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to connect on 67% of their two-point attempts, with 19 makes on 28 tries.
From beyond the arc, Sacramento State’s opponent hit 10 of 26 threes, good for 38%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 14, an 87% success rate. Sacramento State allowed 6 offensive rebounds.