East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs Samford Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/18/25
Looking to win big? The Buccaneers and Bulldogs face off at 6:00 ET on CBSS. The Bulldogs are hosting the game at Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, AL. The odds for this Southern conference game currently have Samford as the -5.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 154.5 points.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE BUCCANEERS VS SAMFORD BULLDOGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Samford Bulldogs -5.5
This game will be played at Pete Hanna Center at 6:00 ET on Saturday, January 18th.
WHY BET THE SAMFORD BULLDOGS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Bulldogs.
- Not only will Samford pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 154.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.
Will East Tennessee State Come Through as Road Underdogs?
East Tennessee State Buccaneers Recent Game/Games
East Tennessee State fell to 8-8 on the season after a 73-70 road loss to Furman on Wednesday. The Buccaneers were +3.5 point underdogs going into the game and covered the spread with the close result. The total points for the game ended at 143, just over the 140.5 O/U line.
ETSU led 36-35 at halftime but were outscored 38-34 in the second half. Despite the loss, they kept it close against a favored Furman team.
East Tennessee State put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 41.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 47.3%. They hit 31.6% from beyond the arc, going 6-for-19, and connected on 66.7% of their free throws, making 18 of 27 attempts.
The Buccaneers grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out just 5 assists. PJay Smith Jr. and Quimari Peterson each scored 21 points, with Smith shooting 54.5% from the field. John Buggs III hit 4 of 6 threes, finishing with 13 points.
East Tennessee State’s defense gave up 73 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 44% from the field. They allowed 51% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team going 17/33 inside the arc.
From three-point range, the Buccaneers’ defense held their opponents to 33% shooting, as they made 7 of 21 attempts. East Tennessee State also sent the other team to the free-throw line 25 times, where they converted 18 of those for 72%.
Can the Samford Offense Score Enough at Home?
Samford improved to 13-3 on the season with a narrow 75-74 win over Mercer on Wednesday. The Bulldogs entered the game as -5.5 favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The total points of 149 fell short of the O/U line of 164.5.
Samford led 41-38 at halftime and added 34 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36. The Bulldogs held on for the win, but it was closer than expected.
Samford’s offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 45% from the field and 50% in effective field goal percentage. They connected on 55% of their two-point attempts (22/40) but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25% (5/20). At the free-throw line, they shot 59.3%, making 16 of 27 attempts.
Ahmad Robinson led the way with 29 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field and 37.5% from three. Tyler Johnson added 20 points, hitting 5 of 10 from deep. Alex Holt contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Rylan Jones chipped in 11 points and 5 assists.
Samford’s defense gave up 74 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 37% from the field on 23 of 61 attempts. From two-point range, the opposing team connected on 14 of 32 shots, good for 43%.
From beyond the arc, Samford allowed 9 threes on 29 attempts, a 31% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the line 24 times, where they converted 19 free throws, shooting 79%. Samford gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.