Pepperdine Waves vs Santa Clara Broncos NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/28/24
The Waves and Broncos are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Broncos will host the game at Leavey Center in Santa Clara, CA. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 148.5 points, and Santa Clara is favored by -15.5 to win at home against Pepperdine.
PEPPERDINE WAVES VS SANTA CLARA BRONCOS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Pepperdine Waves +15.5
This game will be played at Leavey Center at 7:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th.
WHY BET THE PEPPERDINE WAVES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-71 in favor of the Broncos.
- Even though we have Santa Clara winning straight-up, we like Pepperdine at +15.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 148.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.
Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog Pepperdine?
Pepperdine Waves Recent Game
Pepperdine improved to 5-7 on the season with a dominant 85-46 win over UC Davis on Saturday. The Waves were favored by 1 point and covered the spread with ease. The game’s total points fell short of the 147.5 O/U line, finishing at 131.
Pepperdine took control early, leading 43-19 at halftime, and continued their strong play in the second half, scoring 42 points while allowing just 27.
Pepperdine’s offense put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 51.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 58.1%. They hit 58.5% of their two-point attempts and 38.1% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 21 three-point tries. Their free-throw shooting was a struggle, as they made just 56.5% of their attempts, going 13 for 23 from the line.
Dovydas Butka led the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 63.6% overall and hitting both of his three-point attempts. Jaxon Olvera added 15 points, making 6 of 8 shots and hitting his only three-point try. The Waves also got 14 offensive rebounds and 18 assists in the win.
Despite a strong defensive effort, Pepperdine couldn’t overcome their own struggles, allowing 46 points while giving up 51% shooting from the field. They allowed 24 two-point baskets on 41 attempts, a 58% success rate for their opponent.
From beyond the arc, Pepperdine’s defense saw 8 threes fall on 21 attempts, with their opponent shooting 38% from deep. They also sent the other team to the line 23 times, where they hit 13 free throws, shooting 56%. Pepperdine gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.
Will Santa Clara Win at Home?
Santa Clara Broncos Recent Game/Games
Santa Clara improved to 8-5 on the season with a 98-81 home win over South Dakota on Saturday, December 21st. The Broncos entered the game as -18.5 point favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 179, surpassing the O/U line of 168.5.
Santa Clara took control early, leading 60-39 at halftime. However, they allowed South Dakota to outscore them 42-38 in the second half, which contributed to them not covering the spread.
Santa Clara’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 98 points while shooting 52.7% from the field. They connected on 65% of their two-point attempts and hit 13 threes at a 38.2% clip, resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 62.2%.
The Broncos dished out 31 assists and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds. Adama-Alpha Bal led the way with 20 points, shooting 61.5% from the field and 57.1% from three, while adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Santa Clara’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 52% shooting. They allowed 39 made field goals on 74 attempts.
Inside the arc, the Broncos gave up 26 two-point baskets on 40 attempts, a 65% shooting percentage. From three-point range, they allowed 13 made threes on 34 attempts, a 38% clip.