Rice Owls vs Florida Atlantic Owls NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/19/25
Betting on today’s Owls and Owls game? Catch the action at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, FL, as the Owls hosts this showdown at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this American Athletic conference contest is set at 147.5 points, with Florida Atlantic being favored by -9.5 at home against Rice.
RICE OWLS VS FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Rice Owls +9.5
This game will be played at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena at 1:00 ET on Sunday, January 19th.
WHY BET THE RICE OWLS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Owls.
- Not only will Florida Atlantic pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -9.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Can Rice Secure a Road Victory?
Rice Owls Recent Game/Games
The Owls dropped to 11-6 on the season after a 90-84 home loss to UTSA on Tuesday. Rice entered the game as -4.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread.
Rice trailed 51-41 at halftime but managed to outscore UTSA 43-39 in the second half. The game’s total points of 174 exceeded the O/U line of 145.5.
Rice’s offense put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 52% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 62%. They hit 66.7% of their two-point attempts and connected on 38.5% from beyond the arc, going 10-for-26 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they made 22 of 30 attempts, good for 73.3%.
Marcus Millender was a standout, hitting 5-of-6 threes and shooting 69.2% overall, finishing with 25 points. Primo Spears led the team with 26 points and 5 assists, despite shooting 40% from the field and 28.6% from three. Raekwon Horton added 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 60% from deep.
Despite Rice’s defensive struggles, their opponent managed to score 90 points, shooting 52% from the field. They were particularly effective inside, hitting 66% of their two-point attempts (16/24).
From beyond the arc, Rice allowed 10 threes on 26 attempts, a 38% shooting performance. Their opponent also got to the line 30 times, converting 73% of their free throws.
Will Florida Atlantic Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?
Florida Atlantic Owls Recent Game/Games
Florida Atlantic’s season record dropped to 8-9 after an 80-65 road loss to Tulane on Wednesday. The Owls were -2 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread.
FAU trailed 31-23 at halftime and allowed 49 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42. The total points for the game were 145, which was under the O/U line of 153.5.
Florida Atlantic’s offense struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, shooting just 23.1% on 6-of-26 attempts. Overall, they shot 40.7% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 45.8%. Their two-point shooting was a bright spot, hitting 54.5% of their attempts (18-of-33).
Kaleb Banks led the way with 25 points, shooting 57.1% from the field, though he hit just 1-of-5 from three. Rowan Brumbaugh added 20 points, connecting on 3-of-5 from deep. The Owls also struggled at the free-throw line, making only 57.9% of their attempts (11-of-19), but they did grab 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 16 assists.
Florida Atlantic’s defense gave up 80 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 46% from the field on 25 of 54 attempts. They were particularly effective inside, hitting 64% of their two-point shots, going 18 for 28.
From beyond the arc, Florida Atlantic’s defense held their opponents to 26% shooting, as they made 7 of 26 three-point attempts. However, they sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 27 times, where they converted 23 free throws at an 85% rate. Florida Atlantic also allowed 8 offensive rebounds.