Morgan State Bears vs UMBC Retrievers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/27/24
The Bears and Retrievers are set to face off at 12:00 ET on ESPN+. The Retrievers will host the game at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore, MD. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 160 points, and UMBC is favored by -6 at home against Morgan State.
MORGAN STATE BEARS VS UMBC RETRIEVERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: UMBC Retrievers -6
This game will be played at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena at 12:00 ET on Wednesday, November 27th.
WHY BET THE UMBC RETRIEVERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 80-67 in favor of the Retrievers.
- Not only will UMBC pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -6.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 160 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Does Morgan State Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?
Morgan State Bears Recent Game/Games
On Sunday, November 24th, the Bears faced off against the Towson Tigers at home. Despite entering the game as +10 point underdogs, Morgan State managed to keep things close, losing 64-60.
After trailing 35-26 at halftime, the Bears outscored Towson 34-29 in the second half. The total points for the game were 124, falling short of the 143.5 O/U line.
Morgan State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 39.6% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of 12 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.5%, and they managed just 6 offensive rebounds and 9 assists as a team.
Nendah Tarke led the Bears with 24 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 46.7% overall and 33.3% from three-point range. Wynston Tabbs added 19 points, shooting 50% from the field, while Kameron Hobbs contributed 13 points, hitting 2 of 5 from deep.
Despite a strong defensive effort, Morgan State couldn’t hold their opponent under 64 points. They allowed 39% shooting from the field, with 19 of those baskets coming from two-point range, where their opponent shot 46%.
The Bears did well in limiting three-point damage, as their opponent hit just 2 of 12 attempts, shooting 16% from beyond the arc. Morgan State also sent them to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 16 for 69%. The Bears gave up 6 offensive rebounds in the game.
Will the Retrievers Find a Way to Win at Home?
UMBC picked up a 95-77 win over Howard on Monday, November 25th. The Retrievers were +2.5 point underdogs heading into the game, but they not only won, they also covered the spread.
UMBC led 42-39 at halftime and took control in the 2nd half, outscoring Howard 53-38. The game’s total points hit 172, surpassing the O/U line of 154.5.
UMBC’s offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 95 points with a 60.3% field goal percentage and a 70.7% effective field goal percentage. They connected on 50% of their threes, hitting 12 of 24 attempts, and shot 67.6% from inside the arc.
Bryce Johnson led the way with 28 points, shooting 66.7% from the field and 57.1% from three. Anthony Valentine was nearly perfect, hitting 6 of 7 shots and dishing out 7 assists, while Marcus Dockery and Johnson both hit 4 threes.
UMBC’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 77 points on 60% shooting from the field. The Retrievers allowed their opponents to hit 35 of 58 shots.
Inside the arc, UMBC’s defense gave up 67% shooting, with their opponents making 23 of 34 two-point attempts. From three-point range, they allowed 12 threes on 24 attempts, a 50% success rate.