American Eagles vs Navy Midshipmen NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/2/25

The Eagles and Midshipmen are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Midshipmen will host the game at Alumni Hall (Navy) in Annapolis, MD. In this Patriot League matchup, American is favored bt -3.5 vs. Navy. The over/under for the game is 139.5 points.

AMERICAN EAGLES VS NAVY MIDSHIPMEN BETTING PICK

The Pick: Navy Midshipmen +3.5

This game will be played at Alumni Hall (Navy) at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 2nd.

WHY BET THE NAVY MIDSHIPMEN:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Midshipmen.
• Not only will Navy pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 139.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Do the Eagles Have What it Takes in Annapolis?

American Eagles Recent Game/Games

American’s season record fell to 4-7 after a 96-93 loss to UMBC on Sunday. The Eagles, who were -5.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 189 exceeded the O/U line of 148.5.

After trailing 41-40 at halftime, American scored 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 38, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

American’s offense put up 93 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.5%. They connected on 35.5% of their threes, going 11-for-31, and hit 56.5% of their two-point attempts, finishing 26-for-46 inside the arc. Their free-throw shooting was a weak spot, as they made just 8 of 16 attempts.

Matt Rogers led the way with 33 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 75% from the field and 2-for-3 from three-point range. Marcus Banks Jr. added 28 points, hitting 6 threes at a 46.2% clip, while Ace Valentine contributed 17 points and a team-high 9 assists.

American’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 96 points on 48% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 56% of their two-point attempts, with 26 makes on 46 shots.

From beyond the arc, American’s defense gave up 11 threes on 31 attempts, a 35% clip. They also sent their opponent to the line 16 times, where they converted 8 free throws. On the boards, American allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Can the Midshipmen Offense Score Enough at Home?

Navy Midshipmen Recent Game/Games

Navy’s season continued to be a struggle as they fell to 2-10 with an 82-76 loss to William & Mary on Sunday. The Midshipmen were +7.5 point underdogs heading into the game, but managed to keep it closer than expected.

After trailing 41-33 at halftime, Navy put up 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The game’s total points of 158 just missed the O/U line of 158.5.

Navy’s offense put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 44.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.7%, thanks in part to hitting 43.5% from three-point range, connecting on 10 of 23 attempts. At the free-throw line, they made 18 of 24 shots, good for 75%.

Keller Boothby, Gabe Dorsey, and Austin Benigni each scored 16 points, with Boothby hitting 4 of 6 from deep. Noah Collier and Donovan Draper added 14 points each, with Draper going 2 for 2 from three-point range. Aidan Kehoe contributed 11 points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.

Despite giving up 82 points, Navy’s defense struggled to contain their opponent, who shot 50% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, allowing 62% shooting on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, Navy’s defense allowed 13 threes on 33 attempts, a 39% shooting performance. They did manage to limit free-throw damage, with their opponent hitting just 7 of 14.