Montana State Bobcats vs TCU Horned Frogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/22/24
Looking to win big? The Bobcats and Horned Frogs face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Horned Frogs are hosting the game at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, TX. The over/under for this game is set at 140.5 points, and TCU is favored by -10.5 against Montana State in a non-conference matchup.
MONTANA STATE BOBCATS VS TCU HORNED FROGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Montana State Bobcats +10.5
This game will be played at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena at 2:00 ET on Sunday, December 22nd.
WHY BET THE MONTANA STATE BOBCATS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Horned Frogs.
- Even though we have TCU winning straight-up, we like Montana State at +10.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 140.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
No Pressure for Montana State as Away Dogs
Montana State dropped to 4-7 on the season following an 83-80 road loss to UC Riverside on Wednesday. The Bobcats entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 163, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 143.5.
Montana State led 53-41 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 27 points while allowing 42. The Bobcats will need to address their second-half performance moving forward.
Brandon Walker’s efficient 31-point performance on 14-of-20 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep, led Montana State to an 80-point outing in their latest game. Barrington Hargress chipped in 22 points and dished out 10 assists, while Max Agbonkpolo added 20 points, hitting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
The Bobcats shot 48.6% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 55.7%. They connected on 38.5% of their three-point attempts (10-of-26) and struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 2-of-5. Montana State also grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and recorded 18 assists as a team.
Montana State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 83 points on 53% shooting from the field. Their two-point defense was particularly vulnerable, as they allowed the opposing team to hit 61% of their shots inside the arc, going 25/41.
From three-point range, Montana State’s defense held their opponent to 33% shooting, with 5 made threes on 15 attempts. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 18 of those attempts for 90%. Montana State also gave up 9 offensive rebounds.
Is It the Horned Frogs Game to Lose at Home?
TCU improved to 6-4 on the season with a 58-49 win over South Alabama on Monday. The Horned Frogs were favored by 12.5 points heading into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The combined score of 107 points fell well short of the over/under line of 136.5.
TCU led 30-28 at halftime and held South Alabama to just 21 points in the second half while scoring 28 of their own.
TCU’s offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 58 points on 38.2% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.6%, and they hit only 19.2% of their three-point attempts, going 5-for-26 from deep.
Barry Dunning Jr. led the way with 17 points, shooting 50% from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range. The Horned Frogs grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists in the game.
TCU’s defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 49 points on 38% shooting. They did most of their damage from two-point range, where the other team shot 55%, hitting 16 of 29 attempts.
From beyond the arc, TCU limited their opponent to just 5 made threes on 26 attempts, a 19% success rate. The Horned Frogs also sent them to the line 17 times, where they converted 11 free throws for 64%.