Lamar Cardinals vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/17/24

Betting on today’s Cardinals and Golden Eagles game? Catch the action at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, MS, as the Golden Eagles hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. In this non-conference matchup, Lamar is favored by -3 against Southern Miss. The over/under for the game is 138.5 points.

LAMAR CARDINALS VS SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southern Miss Golden Eagles +3

This game will be played at Reed Green Coliseum at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, December 17th.

WHY BET THE SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-68 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
• Not only will Southern Miss pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 138.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Will the Cardinals Secure A Victory as Road Favorites?

Lamar Cardinals Recent Game/Games

The Cardinals improved to 3-5 on the season with a dominant 74-45 win over the Ragin’ Cajuns on Saturday, December 14th. Lamar, who entered the game as +3 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Lamar took control early, leading 33-22 at halftime, and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, outscoring Louisiana-Lafayette 41-23. The game’s total points of 119 fell well short of the O/U line of 145.

Lamar’s offense put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 51.7% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 58.6%. They connected on 46.7% of their threes, going 7-for-15 from deep, while also shooting 46.7% from the free-throw line, hitting 7 of 15 attempts.

Andrew Holifield led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 7-for-10 from the field. Alexis Marmolejos was perfect from three, hitting all 3 of his attempts and finishing with 11 points and 4 assists.

Defensively, Lamar put on a show, holding their opponent to just 45 points on 26% shooting from the field. The Cardinals were particularly effective inside, where they limited the other team to just 8 made two-point shots on 32 attempts, a 25% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Lamar’s defense was also strong, as they allowed just 6 three-pointers on 21 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 28% from deep. The Cardinals sent their opponent to the line 16 times, where they made 11 free throws, shooting 68%. Lamar also gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Will Southern Miss Win at Home?

Southern Miss fell to 3-6 on the season after a 77-46 home loss to Ole Miss on Saturday. The Golden Eagles entered the game as +23 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points of 123 fell short of the O/U line of 146.5.

After trailing 38-28 at halftime, Southern Miss struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 18 points while allowing 39.

Southern Miss struggled offensively in their last game, managing just 46 points on 32.7% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 36.7%, and they hit only 17.4% of their three-point attempts, going 4-for-23 from deep.

Sean Pedulla led the team with 18 points and 4 assists, shooting 60% from the field. Denijay Harris added 16 points and 7 rebounds, while Jaylen Murray contributed 14 points, hitting 50% of his threes.

Southern Miss gave up 77 points in their last game, despite holding their opponent to just 32% shooting from the field, as they went 16/49. Inside the arc, they allowed 12/26 shooting for 46%.

From three-point range, Southern Miss limited their opponent to 4/23 shooting, or 17%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 15 times, where they made 10 for 66%. Southern Miss allowed 9 offensive rebounds.