Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros vs Southeastern Louisiana Lions NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/6/25

Planning on watching today’s Vaqueros and Lions game? Catch the action at University Center (LA) in Hammond, LA, as the Lions hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. Texas-Rio Grande Valley is favored by -1.5 in this Southland conference matchup the against Southeastern Louisiana. The over/under for the game is set at 145.5 points.

TEXAS-RIO GRANDE VALLEY VAQUEROS VS SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA LIONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southeastern Louisiana Lions +1.5

This game will be played at University Center (LA) at 7:00 ET on Monday, January 6th.

WHY BET THE SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA LIONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the Lions.
• Not only will Southeastern Louisiana pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Can the Vaqueros Pull Off a Win at Hammond?

Texas-Rio Grande Valley improved to 6-4 on the season with a 76-64 win over New Orleans on Saturday. The Vaqueros, who were -8 favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

UTRGV led 43-30 at halftime, but the game tightened in the second half, with the Vaqueros scoring 33 points and allowing 34. The total points for the game were 140, falling short of the 156.5 O/U line.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 39.4% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc, hitting 13 threes on 39 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.5%, and they struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 61.1% of their attempts.

James White led the way with 23 points and 8 rebounds, while Hasan Abdul Hakim added 22 points and 12 boards, knocking down 3 of 6 from deep. The Vaqueros grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and dished out 19 assists in the win.

Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros held their opponent to 64 points on 38% shooting from the field. They allowed 21 two-point baskets on 47 attempts, a 44% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, the Vaqueros limited their opponent to just 3 made threes on 15 attempts, a 20% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 13, shooting 76%.

Will the Lions Come Through as Home Underdogs?

The Lions fell to 4-8 on the season after an 80-71 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. Southeastern Louisiana, who entered the game as +1.5 underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 151, surpassing the O/U line of 140.5.

Despite leading 40-35 at halftime, the Lions struggled in the second half, scoring just 31 points while allowing 45. This second-half collapse was a key factor in their loss.

In their last game, Southeastern Louisiana’s offense put up 71 points, shooting 45.8% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range (5/15). Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they hit 66.7% of their free throws, going 22/33 from the line. The Lions grabbed 8 offensive rebounds and recorded 8 assists as a team.

Isaac Williams led the way with 23 points in 23 minutes, shooting 75% overall and 66.7% from deep (2/3). Jeremy Elyzee added 21 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 63.6% of his shots. Garry Clark contributed 15 points and pulled down 16 boards, while Stephen Giwa was perfect from the field, going 4/4 for 12 points.

Southeastern Louisiana gave up 80 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 45% from the field. They allowed 17 two-point field goals on 33 attempts, a 51% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, the Lions’ defense conceded 5 threes on 15 attempts, a 33% shooting performance. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 33 times, where they made 22 free throws, shooting 66%. Southeastern Louisiana allowed 8 offensive rebounds.