Murray State Racers vs Drake Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/5/25

The Racers and Bulldogs are set to face off at 3:00 ET on ESPN2. The Bulldogs will host the game at The Knapp Center in Des Moines, IA. The over/under for this game is set at 126.5 points, and Drake is favored by -9.5 vs. Murray State in a Missouri Valley conference matchup.

MURRAY STATE RACERS VS DRAKE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Murray State Racers +9.5

This game will be played at The Knapp Center at 3:00 ET on Sunday, January 5th.

WHY BET THE MURRAY STATE RACERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Bulldogs.
• Even though we have Drake winning straight-up, we like Murray State at +9.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 126.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Can the Racers Grab a Win on the Road?

Murray State fell to 6-7 on the season after a 74-68 loss to Illinois State on Thursday. The Racers, who were -7 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 142, surpassing the O/U line of 135.5.

After trailing 33-25 at halftime, Murray State put up 43 points in the second half but allowed 41, unable to close the gap.

Murray State put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 41.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50%. They connected on 8 of 23 three-point attempts, hitting 34.8% from deep, and were solid from the free-throw line, making 20 of 26 for 76.9%.

JaCobi Wood led the way with 21 points and 4 assists, while Kylen Milton added 18 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 66.7% overall. Caden Boser was efficient, hitting 77.8% of his shots, including 3 of 5 from three-point range.

Despite giving up 74 points, Murray State’s defense held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, with 20 made baskets on 48 attempts. Inside the arc, the Racers allowed 12 two-point field goals on 25 attempts, a 48% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Murray State’s defense saw their opponent connect on 8 of 23 attempts, a 34% clip. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 26 times, where they made 20, shooting 76%. The Racers gave up 10 offensive rebounds.

Will Drake Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?

Drake’s season took a hit with a 74-70 road loss to UIC on Wednesday, dropping their record to 10-1. The Bulldogs, who were -6.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Drake led 33-32 at halftime but allowed 42 points in the 2nd half while scoring 37. The game’s total points of 144 exceeded the O/U line of 129.5.

Drake’s offense put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 49.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.4%. They connected on 57.9% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 31.6% (6/19) of their threes. At the free-throw line, they converted 72.7% of their attempts, going 8-for-11.

Bennett Stirtz led the way with 30 points and 12 assists, shooting 63.2% overall and 44.4% from three. Jordan Mason added 17 points, hitting 7 of 9 shots, including 2-for-2 from deep. Tyem Freeman was 5-for-7 from three, finishing with 15 points, while Cam Manyawu grabbed 12 rebounds to go along with his 13 points.

Drake’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 74 points on 57% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 63% of their two-point attempts, with 19 makes on 30 tries.

From beyond the arc, Drake’s defense allowed 8 threes on 17 attempts, a 47% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 12 for 70%.