Massachusetts Minutemen vs Saint Joseph’s Hawks NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24

Looking to win big? The Minutemen and Hawks face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Hawks are hosting the game at Hagan Arena in Philadelphia, PA. This Atlantic 10 conference matchup has an over/under of 150.5 points, and Saint Joseph’s is favored to win by -9.5 at home vs. Massachusetts.

MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN VS SAINT JOSEPH’S HAWKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Massachusetts Minutemen +9.5

This game will be played at Hagan Arena at 2:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Hawks.
• Even though we have Saint Joseph’s winning straight-up, we like Massachusetts at +9.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 150.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Can the Minutemen Grab a Win in Philadelphia?

Massachusetts dropped to 4-8 on the season after a 78-62 home loss to Arizona State on Saturday. The Minutemen, who were +9.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 140, falling short of the 151.5 O/U line.

UMass led 33-31 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 29 points while allowing 47 to the Sun Devils.

In their last game, the Minutemen struggled offensively, shooting just 38.3% from the field and 43.3% in effective field goal percentage. They hit 37.5% from deep, making 6 of 16 attempts, and connected on only 55.6% of their free throws, going 10 for 18.

Rahsool Diggins led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three-point range. Basheer Jihad added 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting, while Jayden Quaintance contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 57.1% from the field.

Even though the Minutemen gave up 78 points, they held their opponent to 38% shooting from the field, including 38% on two-point attempts (17/44). From beyond the arc, their opponent shot 37%, hitting 6 of 16 three-pointers.

Massachusetts also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 10 attempts for 55%. On the boards, the Minutemen allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Can the Hawks Please their Home Crowd?

Saint Joseph’s Hawks Recent Game/Games

Saint Joseph’s improved to 9-4 on the season with a 76-58 win over Delaware State on Saturday. Playing at home, the Hawks were -20 point favorites going into the game.

Saint Joseph’s led 33-20 at halftime and scored 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 38. The Hawks didn’t cover the spread, and the total points of 134 fell short of the 148.5 O/U line.

Saint Joseph’s put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.4%. They were dominant inside, hitting 82.6% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 25.8% of their threes (8/31).

The Hawks dished out 21 assists, with Derek Simpson leading the way with 9. Kaseem Watson was a force inside, scoring 23 points on 11/20 shooting, while Erik Reynolds II contributed 22 points, hitting 4 of 13 from deep.

Saint Joseph’s defense gave up 58 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 50% from the field on 27 of 54 attempts. Inside the arc, they were highly efficient, hitting 19 of 23 two-point shots for 82%.

From three-point range, the opponents struggled, making just 8 of 31 attempts for 25%. At the free-throw line, they converted 14 of 18 attempts, shooting 77%. Saint Joseph’s allowed 7 offensive rebounds.