Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Midshipmen and Penguins. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Penguins at Beeghly Center in Youngstown, OH. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 138 points, and the Penguins are the home favorites against the Midshipmen in a non-conference matchup.
NAVY MIDSHIPMEN VS YOUNGSTOWN STATE PENGUINS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Navy Midshipmen +10.5
This game will be played at Beeghly Center at 2:00 ET on Thursday, December 21st.
WHY BET THE NAVY MIDSHIPMEN:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Penguins.
- Even though we have Youngstown State winning straight-up, we like Navy at +10.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 138 points, and we like the over with a projected 144 points.
Are the Midshipmen Ready for a Road Win?
As of today, the Midshipmen have a 3-6 record, with their most recent game being a loss to Quinnipiac (71-68). When playing away, they have yet to secure a win, going 0-5, while they have a 1-1 record at home. As of today's game, Navy has a current against the spread (ATS) record of 3-4 for the season. In their last five games, the team is 4-0 vs. the spread.
Up to this point, games involving Navy have had an average of 130.4 points per game, with the average over/under line set at 135.8 points. Their over/under record is 2-5-0. In the Midshipmen's last five games, the combined scoring average stands at 131 points per game, accompanied by an over/under record of 2-2.
In their recent game, the Midshipmen's offense concluded with 68 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 67.6 points per contest. Currently leading the team in scoring is Austin Benigni who comes into today's matchup averaging 12.7. Donovan Draper also heads into the game with a PPG average of 9.2.
This season, the Navy defense has been impressive, holding the 7th position in the country while permitting an average of 58.0 points per contest. So far, the Navy defense is giving up an average of 7.3 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 11.3 times per game (486th).
Can the Penguins Lock in a Home Win?
Heading into their 13th game of the season, Youngstown State has a 9-3 record. The Penguins have gone 3-3 on the road and 2-0 at home. At the moment, Youngstown State has a winning ATS record at 5-3. Specifically, when playing at home, they are 2-0 ATS this season and 4-2 ATS in their previous ten home games.
Up to this point, games involving Youngstown State have had an average of 144.8 points per game, with the average over/under line set at 148.9 points. Their over/under record is 3-5-0. When assessing the Penguins' performance in their last three games, their over/under record stands at 0-1, with their games averaging 159 points per game.
In contrast to their season average of 82.1 points per game, the Youngstown State had a below average performance. They scored 72 points against Western Michigan and had a field goal percentage of 43.9%. Brandon Rush is leading the team in scoring at 12.9 points per contest. Ziggy Reid has also been a key contributor with a PPG average of 11.9 going into the game.
Coming into today's game, the Youngstown State defense is giving up an average of 67.8 points per contest. Against Western Michigan in their most recent game, the Youngstown State defense gave up a total of 68 points while allowing Western Michigan to hit 41% of their shots.