Austin Peay Governors vs Samford Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24
The Governors and Bulldogs are set to face off at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bulldogs will host the game at Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, AL. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 151.5 points, and Samford is favored by -13.5 vs. Austin Peay.
AUSTIN PEAY GOVERNORS VS SAMFORD BULLDOGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Austin Peay Governors +13.5
This game will be played at Pete Hanna Center at 3:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.
WHY BET THE AUSTIN PEAY GOVERNORS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Bulldogs.
- Even though we have Samford winning straight-up, we like Austin Peay at +13.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 151.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Will the Governors Find a Way to Win on the Road?
The Governors fell to 3-4 on the season after a 79-57 road loss to East Tennessee State on Saturday. Austin Peay entered the game as +9 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game landed exactly on the O/U line of 136.
After trailing 35-28 at halftime, the Governors struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 29 points while allowing 44.
Austin Peay struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points while shooting 33.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 38.6%, and they hit only 26.9% of their threes, going 7-for-26 from beyond the arc.
John Buggs III and LJ Thomas each scored 15 points, with Buggs hitting 3-of-5 from three-point range. Quimari Peterson added 13 points and 9 assists, shooting 54.5% from the field.
Despite Austin Peay’s defensive struggles, allowing 79 points on 47% shooting, they couldn’t capitalize on the offensive end. The Governors gave up 22 two-point baskets on 52% shooting.
From beyond the arc, their opponents hit 8 threes on 38% shooting. Austin Peay also sent them to the line 17 times, where they converted 11 free throws. The Governors allowed 15 offensive rebounds.
Can the Bulldogs Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?
Samford Bulldogs Recent Game/Games
Samford improved to 6-2 on the season with an 88-81 road win over South Carolina State on Thursday. Despite being favored by 10.5 points, they didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 169, surpassing the over/under line of 157.
Samford led 54-46 at halftime but allowed South Carolina State to outscore them 35-34 in the second half, raising concerns about their defense.
Samford’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 88 points with a 55.4% shooting performance from the field. They connected on 50% of their three-point attempts, going 15-for-30 from deep, and posted an effective field goal percentage of 67.9%.
Trey Fort led the way with 25 points, hitting 8 of his 10 threes, while Jaden Brownell added 17 points in just 17 minutes, shooting 7-for-9 overall. The Bulldogs dished out 18 assists, with Michael Teal contributing 4 assists to go along with his 11 points.
Despite giving up 81 points, Samford’s defense struggled, allowing the opposition to shoot 55% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, where they gave up 66% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team hitting 20 of 30 shots.
From beyond the arc, Samford allowed 10 threes on 24 attempts, a 41% success rate. The other team also went to the free-throw line 19 times, making 11 of those attempts, while Samford gave up 10 offensive rebounds.