Arizona State Sun Devils vs Massachusetts Minutemen NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24
The Sun Devils and Minutemen are set to face off at 4:00 ET on CBSS. The Minutemen will host the game at MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA. Arizona State comes into this non-conference matchup as the -9.5 point favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 151 points.
ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS VS MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN BETTING PICK
The Pick: Massachusetts Minutemen +9.5
This game will be played at MassMutual Center at 4:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.
WHY BET THE MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-67 in favor of the Minutemen.
- Not only will Massachusetts pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +9.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 151 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Will the Sun Devils Make it Happen on the Road?
Arizona State dropped to 8-2 on the season following an 83-66 road loss to Florida on Saturday. The Sun Devils, who entered the game as +7 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread.
Arizona State trailed 41-32 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 34 points while allowing 42. The total points for the game were 149, falling short of the 156-point over/under line.
Arizona State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.1% from the field and 28% from three-point range, finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 41.9%. They managed only 9 assists and 6 offensive rebounds, while hitting 13 of 19 free throws (68.4%).
Walter Clayton Jr. led the Sun Devils with 25 points, hitting 5 of 13 threes, while Adam Miller added 18 points, shooting 60% from beyond the arc. Alijah Martin contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds, connecting on 3 of 6 threes.
Arizona State struggled defensively, giving up 83 points on 47% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to connect on 22 of 37 two-point attempts, a 59% success rate.
From beyond the arc, Arizona State’s defense conceded 10 threes on 30 attempts, a 33% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the line 10 times, where they hit 9 free throws.
Will Massachusetts Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?
Massachusetts improved to 4-7 on the season with a 77-72 win over Northeastern on Wednesday, December 18th. Playing at home, the Minutemen were -3.5 favorites and covered the spread. The game’s total points of 149 went over the pre-game line of 146.5.
UMass led 35-30 at halftime and both teams scored 42 points in the 2nd half.
Massachusetts put up 77 points in their last game, shooting 41.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 46%. They hit 6 of 18 from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3%, and connected on 61.3% of their free throws, going 19 for 31 from the line.
Jaylen Curry led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 7 from three-point range. Rashad King added 19 points and 11 rebounds, despite shooting just 39.1% overall and 16.7% from deep. LA Pratt and Masai Troutman each contributed 18 points, with Pratt adding 8 rebounds and 4 assists.
Even with Massachusetts giving up 72 points, their defense held the opponent to 41% shooting from the field, including 44% on two-point attempts (20/45). From beyond the arc, the Minutemen limited the damage, allowing just 6 threes on 18 attempts for 33% shooting.
Massachusetts sent the other team to the free-throw line 31 times, where they converted 19 free throws, shooting 61%. The Minutemen also gave up 11 offensive rebounds in the game.