Cornell Big Red vs Columbia Lions NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/11/25

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Big Red and Lions. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Lions at Levien Gymnasium in New York, NY. Get ready to place your bets! Cornell come into this Ivy League conference matchup as the -1 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 164.5 points.

CORNELL BIG RED VS COLUMBIA LIONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbia Lions +1

This game will be played at Levien Gymnasium at 2:00 ET on Saturday, January 11th.

WHY BET THE COLUMBIA LIONS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Lions.
• Not only will Columbia pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 164.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Will the Big Red Win on the Road?

Cornell fell to 6-5 on the season after an 83-77 loss to Siena on Monday. The Big Red, who were -12.5 favorites at home, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread.

Both teams were tied at 35 at halftime, but Cornell allowed 48 points in the second half while scoring 42. The game’s total points reached 160, surpassing the over/under line of 147.5.

Cornell put up 77 points in their last game, shooting 53.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.7%. They hit 60% of their two-point attempts (24/40) and went 4/12 from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3% from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they connected on 17 of 22 attempts, good for 77.3%.

Nazir Williams led the Big Red with 20 points and 5 assists, shooting 61.5% from the field. Justice Shoats also dished out 10 assists to go along with his 16 points. Brendan Coyle and Gavin Doty each contributed 16 points, with Doty shooting 62.5% and Coyle hitting 4 threes at 57.1% efficiency.

Despite Cornell’s defensive struggles, they allowed 83 points on 53% shooting from the field. The Big Red gave up 60% shooting on two-point attempts, with their opponents hitting 24 of 40 shots.

From beyond the arc, Cornell’s defense held their opponents to 33% shooting, with just 4 made threes on 12 attempts. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 22 times, where they converted 17 free throws for 77%.

Can the Lions Offense Score Enough at Home?

Columbia Lions Recent Game/Games

Columbia’s record dropped to 9-2 after a 91-64 road loss to Rutgers on Monday, December 30th. The Lions entered the game as +12 underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 44-35 at halftime, Columbia managed just 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 47. The game’s total points of 155 narrowly missed the over/under line of 155.5.

Columbia hit 11 threes in their last game, shooting 39.3% from deep and 40.7% overall, with an effective field goal percentage of 50.8%. They also shot 83.3% from the free-throw line, making 5 of 6 attempts.

Dylan Harper and Kenny Noland both shot 60% from the field, with Harper adding 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Ace Bailey led the team with 24 points, shooting 61.1% from the field.

Columbia’s defense struggled, giving up 91 points on 47% shooting. They allowed 36 field goals on 76 attempts.

Inside the arc, opponents shot 59%, hitting 25 of 42 two-pointers. From three, they made 11 of 34, a 32% rate. Columbia also sent them to the line 12 times, where they made 8 free throws.