Norfolk State Spartans vs Grand Canyon Antelopes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/22/24

Planning on watching today’s Spartans and Antelopes game? Catch the action at GCU Arena in Phoenix, AZ, as the Antelopes hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Grand Canyon as the -14.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 144.5 points.

NORFOLK STATE SPARTANS VS GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Norfolk State Spartans +14.5

This game will be played at GCU Arena at 9:00 ET on Friday, November 22nd.

WHY BET THE NORFOLK STATE SPARTANS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-73 in favor of the Antelopes.
• Even though we have Grand Canyon winning straight-up, we like Norfolk State at +14.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Will the Spartans Win in Phoenix?

Norfolk State’s season continued with a 70-63 road loss to Stanford on Wednesday. The Spartans, who entered the game as +21 point underdogs, kept things much closer than expected. The total points for the game were 133, falling short of the 142.5 O/U line.

After trailing 38-33 at halftime, Norfolk State stayed competitive in the second half, scoring 30 points while allowing 32. Despite the loss, the Spartans’ ability to cover the spread against a strong opponent is a positive takeaway.

Norfolk State’s offense put up 63 points in their last game, shooting 44.4% from the field and 31.2% from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 16 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.1%, and they were strong from the free-throw line, connecting on 10 of 11 shots for a 90.9% rate.

Brian Moore Jr. led the way with 24 points, shooting 44.4% overall, while Maxime Raynaud added 20 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 58.3% of his shots and 2 of 3 from three-point range. The Spartans managed just 6 offensive rebounds and 5 assists as a team.

Norfolk State’s defense held their opponent to 70 points on 33% shooting from the field. They allowed 11 of 22 two-point attempts to fall, but limited the damage from beyond the arc, where the opposition shot just 23%, making 8 of 34 three-point attempts.

The Spartans sent their opponent to the free-throw line 37 times, where they converted 24 attempts for 64%. Norfolk State also gave up 18 offensive rebounds in the game.

Can Grand Canyon Live Up to the Hype at Home?

Grand Canyon Antelopes Recent Game/Games

Grand Canyon suffered a 75-68 home loss to UC Davis on Wednesday, November 20th. The Antelopes were -17 favorites but failed to cover the spread. The combined points for the game were 143, falling short of the O/U line of 152.

After trailing 46-35 at halftime, Grand Canyon tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 29 points while scoring 33. However, their improved play after the break wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.

Grand Canyon struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 37.3% overall and 16% from three-point range, hitting only 4 of 25 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 40.7%, but they did manage to connect on 52.9% of their two-point shots.

The Antelopes grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and made 20 of 28 free throws, shooting 71.4% from the line. Ty Johnson led the team with 21 points, while JaKobe Coles and Tyon Grant-Foster each added 18 points. Leo DeBruhl and Connor Sevilla both shot 60% from the field, with Sevilla hitting 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Grand Canyon’s defense gave up 75 points, despite holding their opponent to 37% shooting from the field. They allowed 18 two-point baskets on 34 attempts, a 52% success rate.

From beyond the arc, their opponent struggled, hitting just 4 of 25 threes for 16%. Grand Canyon also sent them to the line 28 times, where they made 20 free throws, shooting 71%. Defensively, Grand Canyon gave up 15 offensive rebounds.