Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs West Virginia Mountaineers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/14/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Wildcats and Mountaineers. The game is starting at 5:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, WV. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 136 points, and West Virginia is favored by -25 at home against Bethune-Cookman.

BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS VS WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats +25

This game will be played at WVU Coliseum at 5:00 ET on Saturday, December 14th.

WHY BET THE BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Mountaineers.
• Even though we have West Virginia winning straight-up, we like Bethune-Cookman at +25.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 136 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

Will Bethune-Cookman Be The Talk of WVU Coliseum?

Bethune-Cookman fell to 2-7 on the season after a 59-41 loss to Virginia on Thursday. Entering the game as +16 point underdogs, the Wildcats failed to cover the spread.

Despite leading 21-18 at halftime, Bethune-Cookman struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 20 points while allowing 41. The total points for the game were 100, well under the O/U line of 126.

Bethune-Cookman’s offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 41 points on 30.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 36.4%, and they connected on only 25% of their three-point attempts (5/20). The Wildcats also had a tough time at the free-throw line, hitting just 2 of 6 attempts (33.3%).

Elijah Saunders led the team with 15 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 54.5% from the field. Brayon Freeman added 14 points, but shot just 31.6% overall and 22.2% from beyond the arc. Ishan Sharma hit 4 threes, shooting 57.1% from deep, while Jacob Cofie contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, making 62.5% of his shots.

Despite giving up 59 points, the Wildcats allowed their opponent to shoot 44% from the field, including 55% on two-point attempts. The defense managed to limit the damage from beyond the arc, holding the other team to 30% shooting on 23 three-point attempts.

Bethune-Cookman sent their opponent to the free-throw line 12 times, where they converted 8 shots, a 66% success rate. The Wildcats also gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Pressure Builds for West Virginia as Home Favorites

West Virginia improved to 7-2 on the season with a decisive 79-45 win over North Carolina Central on Tuesday. The Mountaineers were heavy favorites at -23.5 and covered the spread, though the game’s 124 total points fell short of the 141.5 O/U line.

West Virginia took control early, leading 36-18 at halftime, and continued their strong play in the second half, scoring 43 points while allowing 27.

West Virginia’s offense put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 41.2% from the field. They connected on 15 threes, hitting 38.5% from deep, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 52.9%.

The Mountaineers grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and dished out 21 assists. Jonathan Powell led the way with 17 points, hitting 4 of 11 from three, while Joseph Yesufu added 14 points, knocking down 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.

Despite West Virginia’s defensive efforts, they couldn’t stop their opponent from scoring 45 points. The Mountaineers allowed a 41% shooting performance, with the other team hitting 28 of their 68 field goal attempts.

From beyond the arc, West Virginia’s opponent made 15 of 39 three-point attempts, shooting 38%. They also went 8/10 from the free-throw line, hitting 80% of their free throws.