Marshall Thundering Herd vs Southern Miss Golden Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Thundering Herd and Golden Eagles. The game is starting at 3:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Golden Eagles at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, MS. Get ready to place your bets! Marshall is favored by -3.5 in this Sun Belt conference matchup the against Southern Miss. The over/under for the game is set at 147.5 points.

MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD VS SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southern Miss Golden Eagles +3.5

This game will be played at Reed Green Coliseum at 3:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.

WHY BET THE SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Golden Eagles.
• Not only will Southern Miss pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.

Can Marshall Secure a Road Victory?

Marshall evened their season record at 5-5 with a 79-70 win over Ohio on Saturday. The Thundering Herd were slight +1 underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread with the victory.

Marshall led 41-33 at halftime and maintained their lead by outscoring Ohio 38-37 in the second half. The game’s total points of 149 fell short of the 155.5 O/U line.

Marshall’s offense put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 52.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60%. They connected on 42.1% of their three-point attempts, going 8-for-19 from deep, and hit 58.3% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they made 13 of 19 attempts, good for 68.4%.

Mikal Dawson led the way, hitting 6 of 9 threes and finishing with 27 points on 9-for-12 shooting overall. AJ Clayton also shot 75%, knocking down 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, while AJ Brown contributed 22 points despite shooting 3 of 8 from three.

Marshall’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 70 points on 52% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 58% of their two-point attempts, as they went 21/36 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Marshall’s defense allowed 8/19 shooting, or 42%. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 13 free throws for a 68% rate. Marshall did limit second-chance opportunities, giving up just 4 offensive rebounds.

Can Southern Miss Secure a Home Victory?

Southern Miss fell to 3-7 on the season after a 69-65 home loss to Lamar on Tuesday. The Golden Eagles were +2 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 134, just under the O/U line of 137.5.

Southern Miss trailed 36-31 at halftime and narrowly outscored Lamar 34-33 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

Southern Miss struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 2 of 13 threes (15.4%) in their last game, contributing to an overall field goal percentage of 42.1%. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.9%, with a 50% success rate on two-point attempts (22/44). At the free-throw line, they connected on 15 of 25 attempts, shooting 60%.

Neftali Alvarez led the way with 21 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field despite going 1 for 6 from three. Alexis Marmolejos added 20 points, hitting 3 of 7 threes, while Cody Pennebaker was efficient, making 6 of 10 shots overall and 3 of 5 from deep. Denijay Harris contributed 12 rebounds and 4 assists to go along with his 15 points.

Southern Miss gave up 69 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 24 of 57 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 22 of 44 shooting for 50%.

From three-point range, Southern Miss held their opponent to 2 of 13 shooting, just 15%. They also sent them to the line 25 times, where they made 15 free throws for 60%. Southern Miss allowed 15 offensive rebounds.