Incarnate Word Cardinals vs California Baptist Lancers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/4/24
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Cardinals and Lancers. The game is starting at 10:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Lancers at Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center in Riverside, CA. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this non-conference game currently have California Baptist as the -13.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 140.5 points.
INCARNATE WORD CARDINALS VS CALIFORNIA BAPTIST LANCERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Incarnate Word Cardinals +13.5
This game will be played at Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center at 10:00 ET on Monday, November 4th.
WHY BET THE INCARNATE WORD CARDINALS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-72 in favor of the Lancers.
- Even though we have California Baptist winning straight-up, we like Incarnate Word at +13.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 140.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can the Cardinals Pull Off a Road Win?
Incarnate Word Cardinals Records
Last season, Incarnate Word finished with a 6-23 overall record, going 3-15 in Southland Conference play. At home, they posted a 3-8 mark, with an average scoring margin of -5.7 points per game. On the road, they went 3-15, losing by an average of 10.2 points per game.
The Cardinals were 8-20 against the spread, including a 6-11 record on the road. As the favorite, they went 0-6 ATS, and they were 8-14 as the underdog. Their games averaged 150.1 points, and their over/under record was 16-13.
Last season, Incarnate Word averaged 72.3 points per game, ranking 210th in possessions per game with 68.1. They struggled with shooting, finishing 317th in field goal percentage (42%) and 296th in effective field goal percentage (49%). The Cardinals made 7.6 three-pointers per game, shooting 33% from beyond the arc, and ranked 91st in free throws made per game with 15.1.
Point guard Jalin Anderson returns after averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game last season. Guard Davion Bailey also returns, having averaged 12.6 points, 1.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game in 26 games last year.
Incarnate Word struggled defensively last season, allowing 78.6 points per game, which ranked 313th in the nation. Opponents shot 34.8% from beyond the arc against them, placing the Cardinals 374th in three-point defense. They also gave up 22.8 free-throw attempts per game, ranking 309th nationally.
One bright spot for Incarnate Word was their shot-blocking, as they averaged 4.1 blocks per game, ranking 73rd in the country. They also averaged 6 steals per game, ranking 242nd nationally.
Will California Baptist Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?
California Baptist Lancers Records
California Baptist finished last season with a 14-17 record, going 9-13 in Western Athletic Conference play. At home, they posted a 9-7 mark, with an average scoring margin of +3.5 points per game. On the road, they went 5-10, losing by an average of 3.9 points per game.
Against the spread, the Lancers were 11-20, including a 6-9 record on the road. They went 6-12 ATS as the favorite and 5-8 as the underdog. Their average over/under line was 136.6 points, and they had a 15-16 O/U record, with their games averaging 134.2 points per contest.
California Baptist Lancers Offense Stats
California Baptist averaged 67.3 points per game last season, ranking 342nd in possessions per game with 62.5. They struggled with shooting, finishing 373rd in field goal percentage at 41% and 375th in effective field goal percentage at 47%. The Lancers were 383rd in two-point percentage, hitting 45% of their attempts. From beyond the arc, they made 6.7 threes per game, shooting 32%, which ranked 307th in three-point percentage.
California Baptist Lancers Top Returning Offensive Players
Dominique Daniels Jr. returns after averaging 19.2 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 21 games last season. AJ Braun also comes back, having averaged 12 points and 6.2 rebounds in 32 games.
California Baptist was one of the better teams in the country in points allowed last season, giving up just 66.6 per game, which ranked 43rd nationally. They also did a good job of limiting free-throw opportunities, allowing only 16.1 attempts per game, placing them 74th in that category.
However, the Lancers struggled to defend the three, with opponents shooting 32.6% from beyond the arc, ranking them 238th. They also ranked 361st in steals, averaging just 4 per game, and 301st in blocked shots, with 2.6 per game.