Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/18/25
Looking to win big? The Pilots and Cougars face off at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The Cougars are hosting the game at Friel Court in Pullman, WA. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 153.5 points, with Washington State being favored by -16.5 over Portland.
PORTLAND PILOTS VS WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Portland Pilots +16.5
This game will be played at Friel Court at 6:00 ET on Saturday, January 18th.
WHY BET THE PORTLAND PILOTS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Cougars.
- Even though we have Washington State winning straight-up, we like Portland at +16.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 153.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.
Will Portland Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?
Portland Pilots Recent Game/Games
Portland improved to 4-13 on the season with an 84-81 win over Pacific on Thursday. The Pilots were favored by four points going into the game, but while they came away with the win, they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 165, going over the pre-game O/U line of 147.5.
Portland trailed 40-35 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring Pacific 38-33 to secure the win. The Pilots’ defense stepped up after the break, allowing them to edge out the Tigers in this high-scoring affair.
In their last game, the Pilots put up 84 points, shooting 45% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They hit 54.5% of their two-point attempts and 33.3% from beyond the arc, making 9 threes. At the free-throw line, they were 21-of-25, good for 84%.
Portland grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 17 assists. Elias Ralph led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field and 3-of-6 from three. Bol Dengdit added 21 points and 13 boards, hitting 72.7% of his shots.
Despite Portland’s defensive efforts, they allowed 81 points on 45% shooting from the field. The opposing team was particularly effective inside, hitting 54% of their two-point attempts (18/33).
From beyond the arc, Portland’s defense held the other team to 33% shooting, with 9 made threes on 27 attempts. The Pilots also sent their opponents to the line 25 times, where they converted 21 free throws for 84%. Portland gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.
Is a Home Win Possible for the Cougars?
Washington State Cougars Recent Game/Games
Washington State improved to 14-5 on the season with a 65-61 win over San Diego on Thursday. The Cougars were -12.5 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread.
After trailing 27-25 at halftime, Washington State scored 40 points in the 2nd half while allowing 34. The total points for the game were 126, well under the O/U line of 153.5.
Washington State put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 42.2% from the field and 30.4% from three-point range (7/23). Their effective field goal percentage was 48.9%, and they hit 54.5% of their two-point attempts (12/22). At the free-throw line, they connected on 76.9%, making 20 of 26 attempts.
Nate Calmese led the way with 27 points and 4 assists, shooting 52.9% overall and 37.5% from deep (3/8). Santiago Trouet added 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Dane Erikstrup contributed 12 points and 10 boards, hitting 3 threes at a 42.9% clip.
Washington State’s defense held their opponent to 61 points on 36% shooting from the field, with the opponent making 22 of their 61 attempts. Inside the arc, Washington State limited them to 40% shooting, as they hit 16 of 40 two-point shots.
From three-point range, the opponent shot 28%, connecting on 6 of 21 attempts. At the free-throw line, they went 11 for 18, shooting 61%. Washington State gave up 17 offensive rebounds.