North Alabama Lions vs Loyola Marymount Lions NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/22/24
Betting on today’s Lions and Lions game? Catch the action at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA, as the Lions hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Loyola Marymount as the -4.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 144.5 points.
NORTH ALABAMA LIONS VS LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS BETTING PICK
The Pick: North Alabama Lions +4.5
This game will be played at Gersten Pavilion at 7:00 ET on Sunday, December 22nd.
WHY BET THE NORTH ALABAMA LIONS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-69 in favor of the Lions.
- Not only will Loyola Marymount pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.
Does North Alabama Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?
North Alabama improved to 6-4 on the season with an 86-69 home win over Charleston Southern on Thursday, December 19th. The Lions, who were favored by 9.5 points, covered the spread, and the game’s total of 155 points went over the pre-game line of 148.
North Alabama took control early, leading 46-35 at halftime, and maintained their edge by outscoring the Buccaneers 40-34 in the second half.
North Alabama’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points on 55.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 61%, thanks to a 63.4% mark on two-point attempts and 38.9% from beyond the arc. They also connected on 76.5% of their free throws, going 13-for-17 from the line.
Taje’ Kelly led the way with 34 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 60% overall and 50% from three-point range. Taye Fields was nearly perfect, hitting 10 of 12 shots for 25 points, while Jacari Lane and Daylen Berry each added 18 points, with Berry knocking down 4 threes at a 66.7% clip.
North Alabama’s defense struggled in their last game, allowing 69 points on 55% shooting from the field. They gave up 33 made field goals on 59 attempts.
Inside the arc, the Lions allowed their opponent to shoot 63%, with 26 made two-pointers on 41 attempts. From three-point range, their opponent shot 38%, hitting 7 of 18 attempts. North Alabama also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 76%.
Do the Lions Have a Shot at a Home Win?
The Lions improved to 6-4 on the season with an 89-73 home win over Southern on Friday. Loyola Marymount entered the game as -6.5 favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 162 exceeded the O/U line of 136.5.
LMU dominated the first half, leading 53-28, but allowed Southern to score 45 points in the second half while putting up 36 points of their own.
Loyola Marymount’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their latest game, putting up 89 points on 49.2% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.3%, thanks in large part to their 55.2% shooting from beyond the arc, where they connected on 16 of 29 attempts.
Alex Merkviladze was a standout, hitting 6 of 7 threes and finishing with 24 points and 7 rebounds. The Lions also got 19 points and 10 boards from Puoch Dobuol, while Michael Jacobs added 16 points and 4 assists. As a team, Loyola Marymount dished out 22 assists and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds.
Despite giving up 73 points, Loyola Marymount’s defense struggled to contain their opponent, who shot 49% from the field, including 55% from beyond the arc with 16 made threes. They also sent their opponent to the line 20 times, where they converted 13 free throws.
The Lions allowed 13 offensive rebounds, contributing to their defensive woes. Their opponent made 14 two-point shots on 32 attempts, shooting 43% from inside the arc.