Rice Owls vs Texas State Bobcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24

Betting on today’s Owls and Bobcats game? Catch the action at Strahan Arena at the University Events Center in San Marcos, TX, as the Bobcats hosts this showdown at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 134.5 points, with Texas State being favored by -5 over Rice.

RICE OWLS VS TEXAS STATE BOBCATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Rice Owls +5

This game will be played at Strahan Arena at the University Events Center at 3:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.

WHY BET THE RICE OWLS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Bobcats.
• Even though we have Texas State winning straight-up, we like Rice at +5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 134.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Is a Road Win Possible for the Owls?

Rice Owls Recent Game/Games

Rice improved to 7-2 on the season with a 70-66 win over Iona on Sunday. The Owls were -4.5 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 136 narrowly exceeded the over/under line of 134.

After being tied 35-35 at halftime, Rice outscored Iona 35-31 in the second half to seal the win.

Rice’s offense put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 45.7% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 19 attempts for a 15.8% three-point shooting percentage. Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, connecting on 66.7% of their two-point shots.

At the free-throw line, Rice was solid, making 25 of 29 attempts for an 86.2% success rate. Adam Njie Jr. and James Patterson each scored 19 points, with Njie hitting 3 of 4 from deep. Patterson added 9 rebounds, while Caden Powell contributed 14 points on 6 of 8 shooting.

Even though Rice allowed 66 points, they had a tough time defending inside, giving up 66% shooting on two-pointers as the opposing team hit 18 of 27 shots. However, the Owls did well on the perimeter, holding their opponents to just 3 made threes on 19 attempts, a 15% success rate.

Rice sent their opponents to the line 29 times, where they converted 25 free throws, shooting 86%. The Owls also gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Will Texas State Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?

Texas State improved to 4-3 on the season with a 72-59 road win over Texas Southern on Sunday. The Bobcats entered the game as -4.5 favorites and covered the spread, though the total points of 131 fell short of the O/U line of 139.

After a 28-28 tie at halftime, Texas State took control in the 2nd half, outscoring the Tigers 44-31.

Texas State put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 48.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They hit 52.2% of their two-point shots (24/46) and connected on 35.7% from beyond the arc (5/14). At the free-throw line, they were efficient, making 81.8% of their attempts (9/11).

Christian Turner led the way, hitting 9 of 12 shots for 18 points. Tyrel Morgan added 13 points and 9 rebounds, while also dishing out 7 assists. Kavion McClain and Kaden Gumbs each scored 12 points, with Gumbs shooting 5 of 10 from the field and perfect from three-point range (1/1).

Texas State’s defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 59 points on 33% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team hitting only 14 of 35 shots for 40%.

From beyond the arc, Texas State’s defense was solid, allowing just 5 threes on 22 attempts (22%). They also sent the other team to the line 23 times, where they made 16 free throws (69%).