Bucknell Bison vs Lehigh Mountain Hawks NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/2/25
The Bison and Mountain Hawks are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Mountain Hawks will host the game at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, PA. The odds for this Patriot League conference game currently have Lehigh as the -2.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 137.5 points.
BUCKNELL BISON VS LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Lehigh Mountain Hawks -2.5
This game will be played at Stabler Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 2nd.
WHY BET THE LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Mountain Hawks.
- Not only will Lehigh pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 137.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.
Are Bucknell Ready for a Road Win?
Bucknell Bison Recent Game/Games
The Bison fell to 4-9 on the season after a 75-63 road loss to Syracuse on Saturday. Bucknell entered the game as +12.5 point underdogs but managed to cover the spread.
After trailing 43-31 at halftime, the Bison played the Orange evenly in the second half, with both teams scoring 32 points. The total points for the game were 138, falling short of the 147.5 O/U line.
In their last game, the Bison managed just 63 points, shooting 38.2% from the field. They hit 34.5% from beyond the arc, making 10 of 29 attempts, and shot 42.3% on two-pointers.
Josh Bascoe led the way with 22 points, hitting 6 of 11 threes. Eddie Lampkin was efficient inside, shooting 7 of 8 and grabbing 11 rebounds. Jaquan Carlos added 9 assists in the game.
Despite giving up 75 points, Bucknell’s defense managed to hold their opponent to just 7 threes on 23 attempts, a 30% shooting performance from beyond the arc.
However, the Bison struggled to contain their opponent inside, allowing them to shoot 58% on two-point attempts, with 20 makes on 34 tries.
Is a Home Win Possible for Lehigh?
Lehigh Mountain Hawks Recent Game/Games
The Mountain Hawks improved to 3-6 on the season with a narrow 60-59 road win over the Sharks on Saturday, December 21st. Despite being -5.5 favorites, Lehigh didn’t cover the spread, and the game’s total points of 119 fell well short of the 143.5 O/U line.
Lehigh trailed 35-28 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring LIU 32-24 to secure the win.
Lehigh’s offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 38.3% from the field and 32.3% on two-point attempts. However, they connected on 50% of their three-pointers, hitting 8 of 16 from deep.
Jamal Fuller and Shadrak Lasu were standouts, with Fuller scoring 20 points and Lasu adding 16 points and 10 rebounds. Keith Higgins Jr. also contributed 16 points, despite shooting 33.3% from the field.
Lehigh’s defense held their opponent to 59 points, even though they allowed a 43% shooting performance from the field. The Mountain Hawks gave up 21 two-point baskets on 40 attempts, a 52% success rate.
From beyond the arc, Lehigh limited their opponent to just 4 made threes on 17 attempts, a 23% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 8 times, where they converted 5 shots, a 62% rate.