Charlotte 49ers vs Rice Owls Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/24

Betting on today’s 49ers and Owls game? Catch the action at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, TX, as the Owls hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The 49ers are the favorites in this American Athletic conference matchup the against the Owls. The over/under for the game is set at 135.5 points.

CHARLOTTE 49ERS VS RICE OWLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Rice Owls +2

This game will be played at Tudor Fieldhouse at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, January 16th.

WHY BET THE RICE OWLS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-68 in favor of the Owls.
• Not only will Rice pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +2.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 135.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 143 points.

Is a Win at Houston Possible for the 49ers?

Charlotte comes into this game as the favorite, as they have been in eight of their 16 games this season. So far, they have gone 6-2 as the favorite.

On the road, the 49ers have struggled this season, going just 2-6. Their average scoring margin on the road is -6.2 points per game.

When looking at Charlotte’s overall ATS record this season, they are currently 9-6. However, their road ATS record is just 3-5. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the 49ers are 7-3 vs. the spread.

Charlotte’s over/under record this season is 5-8-2, and the average scoring total in their games is 132.9 points. Today’s over/under line of 135.5 is higher than the average OU line in their games (134.3). So far, eight of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. In their last three games, the average scoring total is 140 points, and their OU record over their last 10 games is 4-4-1.

In their recent game, the 49ers’ offense concluded with 66 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 68.6 points per contest. Leading the team in scoring was Igor Milicic Jr. with 19 points. Dishon Jackson also added 17 points for the 49ers.

So far this season, the Charlotte defense has been performing well, ranking 32nd in the country at 64.4 points allowed per contest. On average, opposing teams are hitting 6.0 threes per game vs. Rice. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 28.3%.

Are the Owls Ready for a Home Win?

Coming into tonight’s game, Rice has lost four straight games, and they are looking to get back on track at home. So far this season, they are 5-5 at home compared to 1-5 on the road. Their average scoring margin at home is +3.6, and they have gone 0-7 as the underdog this year.

For the season, Rice is 6-10, and they are still looking for their first conference win. So far, they are 0-3 in American Athletic Conference play compared to 6-7 in non-conference games. In their last game, they lost to South Florida by a score of 81-73.

As the underdog this year, Rice has gone just 1-6 vs. the spread. At home, the Owls have a 4-6 ATS mark this season and are 2-3 vs. the spread in their last five home games. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Rice is 3-7 ATS.

Today’s over/under line of 135.5 is lower than the average over/under line in Rice’s games this season (153.7). So far, 13 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1.

In their recent game, the Owls’ offense concluded with 73 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 73.4 points per contest. Travis Evee is leading the team in scoring at 16.4 points per contest. Mekhi Mason has also been a key contributor with a PPG average of 13.2 going into the game.

Currently, the Owls’ defense holds the 240th rank in the nation, allowing 75.8 points per game. Rice will look once again to perform well on defense, holding South Florida to just 40% shooting in their most recent game.