DePaul Blue Demons vs Northwestern Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24
Planning on watching today’s Blue Demons and Wildcats game? Catch the action at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, IL, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on BTN. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Northwestern as the -7 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 136.5 points.
DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: DePaul Blue Demons +7
This game will be played at Welsh-Ryan Arena at 4:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.
WHY BET THE DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Wildcats.
- Even though we have Northwestern winning straight-up, we like DePaul at +7.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 136.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can DePaul Stun the Crowd at Welsh-Ryan Arena?
DePaul’s season record dropped to 8-3 after an 89-61 road loss to St. John’s on Tuesday. The Blue Demons entered the game as +12 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.
DePaul trailed 40-29 at halftime and struggled defensively in the second half, allowing 49 points while scoring just 32. The game’s total points reached 150, just under the 150.5 O/U line.
DePaul’s offense struggled in their last game, managing just 61 points on 39.2% shooting from the field. They hit 30% from beyond the arc, connecting on 6 of 20 attempts, while their effective field goal percentage stood at 45.1%.
RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 19 points, shooting 63.6% from the field. Kadary Richmond added 18 points and 7 rebounds, and Layden Blocker contributed 17 points. Simeon Wilcher was efficient, hitting 7 of 9 shots, including 2 of 3 from deep.
DePaul’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 89 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 55% from the field. Inside the arc, the Blue Demons allowed 34 two-point baskets on 57 attempts, a 59% shooting percentage.
From three-point range, DePaul’s defense held their opponent to 30% shooting, with just 3 made threes on 10 attempts. However, they sent their opponent to the free-throw line 21 times, where they made 12 free throws. DePaul also gave up 17 offensive rebounds.
Can Northwestern Pull Off a Home Win?
Northwestern improved to 8-3 on the season with a 71-60 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday, December 15th. Playing at home, the Wildcats entered the game as -6.5 favorites and covered the spread with the victory.
Northwestern led 31-26 at halftime and scored 40 points in the 2nd half while allowing 34. The game’s total points of 131 fell short of the 138.5 O/U line.
Northwestern put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 40% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc, hitting 9 of 22 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.2%, and they connected on 62.5% of their free throws, going 10 for 16.
Brooks Barnhizer led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, though he shot just 33.3% from the field. Lance Terry added 17 points, and Nick Martinelli contributed 16 points on 58.3% shooting. Jalen Leach also chipped in 16 points despite shooting 31.2%.
Northwestern’s defense held their opponent to 60 points, with a field goal percentage of 40% (26/65). They limited two-point shooting to 39%, as the opposing team went 17/43 from inside the arc.
From three-point range, Northwestern allowed 9 made threes on 22 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they made 10, shooting 62%. Northwestern gave up 9 offensive rebounds.