FIU Golden Panthers vs Sam Houston State Bearkats Betting Pick & Prediction 2/15/24

Planning on watching today’s Golden Panthers and Bearkats game? Catch the action at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, TX, as the Bearkats hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Conference USA conference contest is set at 147 points, with Sam Houston State being favored by -5.5 at home against FIU.

FIU GOLDEN PANTHERS VS SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: FIU Golden Panthers +5.5

This game will be played at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum at 7:30 ET on Thursday, February 15th.

WHY BET THE FIU GOLDEN PANTHERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 73-72 in favor of the Bearkats.
• Even though we have Sam Houston State winning straight-up, we like FIU at +5.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 147 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.

Can the Golden Panthers Offense Score Enough on the Road?

FIU has struggled on the road this season, going 0-9. Their average scoring margin on the road is -12.9 points per game, and they have lost their last nine road games. Overall, FIU is 8-16 this season, including a 3-6 mark in Conference USA.

Coming off a 68-66 loss to Middle Tennessee, the Golden Panthers are 1-11 this season when they are the underdog. For the year, FIU has been the underdog in 12 of their 24 games.

As the underdog, FIU has gone 5-7 vs. the spread this season and they are 10-13 overall in that category. On the road, their ATS mark is 3-6 and they are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. the spread.

This season, the over/under record for FIU games is 11-11-1, and today’s over/under line of 147 is similar to the average over/under line in their games this year (147.9). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 136 points. For the season, the average scoring total in their games is 149.2 points.

Against Middle Tennessee, the FIU had a tough time putting up points compared to their season average of 74.5 points per game. They scored 66 points and posted a field goal percentage of 39.1% in the game. Leading the team in scoring is Javaunte Hawkins, who is averaging 12.4 heading into today’s matchup. Additionally, Arturo Dean also maintains a PPG average of 12.5 heading into game.

Currently, the Golden Panthers’ defense holds the 269th rank in the nation, allowing 76.8 points per game. In today’s game, the FIU defense will be looking to once again do a good job defending the three-point line, as they gave up just 5 three-pointers while giving up 68 points.

Will Sam Houston State Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

Sam Houston State will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak when they host FIU. So far this season, the Bearkats have gone 13-11, including a 7-2 mark at home.

Over their last 10 games at home, they have gone 8-2. As the favorite, they have gone 10-3 this season. Their average scoring margin at home is +7.3 points per game.

Sam Houston State has an ATS record of 11-12 this season, going 4-5 vs. the spread at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Bearkats have gone 5-5 vs. the spread.

So far this season, the over/under record for Sam Houston State games is 13-10. On average, their games have finished with 142.8 points compared to an average over/under line of 141.1, resulting in an average margin of +1.7 points. Today’s over/under line of 147 is higher than the average scoring total in their games this season (142.8) and their average scoring total over their last three games (143). Over their last 10 games, their over/under record is 5-5.

The Sam Houston State offense is coming off a game in which they scored 68 points vs. Jacksonville State. Overall their field goal percentage was 46.4% while connecting on 9 threes. Davon Barnes is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 13.8. Meanwhile, Lamar Wilkerson also brings a PPG average of 14 into the game.

In terms of defense, Sam Houston State is currently on par with the NCAA average for points allowed, giving up an average of 71.4 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 6.8 threes per game vs. FIU. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 30.8%.