Rice Owls vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/1/25
Planning on watching today’s Owls and Golden Hurricane game? Catch the action at Reynolds Center in Tulsa, OK, as the Golden Hurricane hosts this showdown at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 141.5 points, and Tulsa is favored by -2.5 vs. Rice in a American Athletic conference matchup.
RICE OWLS VS TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE BETTING PICK
The Pick: Tulsa Golden Hurricane -2.5
This game will be played at Reynolds Center at 3:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st.
WHY BET THE TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-67 in favor of the Golden Hurricane.
- Not only will Tulsa pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 141.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Can Rice Stun the Crowd at Reynolds Center?
Rice improved to 9-3 on the season with a 64-46 win over Prairie View A&M on Sunday. The Owls, who were -14 point favorites, covered the spread at home.
After trailing 27-23 at halftime, Rice turned things around by scoring 41 points and holding the Panthers to just 19 in the second half. The game’s total points of 110 fell well short of the 155.5 O/U line.
Rice struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25% (4/16) of their three-point attempts in their last game, while shooting 44.1% overall from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.5%, with two-point shooting at 51.2% (22/43).
Free-throw shooting was a major issue, as the Owls connected on only 42.1% (8/19) from the line. They did dominate the offensive glass, pulling down 21 offensive rebounds, with Nick Anderson and Trae Broadnax both grabbing 10 boards. Broadnax also added 8 assists, while Anderson led the team with 18 points.
Even with Rice allowing 21 offensive rebounds, they held their opponent to just 46 points. Rice gave up 44% shooting from the field, with their opponent hitting 26 of 59 shots.
Rice’s defense limited their opponent’s three-point shooting to 4 of 16, or 25%. From the free-throw line, their opponent struggled, making only 8 of 19 attempts, or 42%.
Do the Golden Hurricane Have a Shot at a Home Win?
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Recent Game/Games
Tulsa improved to 4-7 on the season with a dominant 93-48 win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday. Playing at home, the Golden Hurricane were -29 favorites and covered the spread. The total points for the game were 141, surpassing the O/U line of 136.5.
Tulsa took control early, leading 39-16 at halftime. They added 54 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32, continuing their strong play on both ends of the court.
Tulsa’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 93 points while shooting 51.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 61.3%, thanks in part to their 72.4% shooting on two-point attempts.
They also connected on 11 of 33 three-point attempts, shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc. Matt Reed was a standout, hitting 4 of 5 threes and finishing with 15 points and 9 rebounds in just 16 minutes. Dwon Odom was perfect from the field, going 5 for 5 and adding 5 assists.
Despite Tulsa’s defensive struggles, they managed to hold their opponent to 48 points. However, they allowed a 51% shooting performance, with 32 made field goals on 62 attempts.
Inside the arc, Tulsa’s defense gave up 21 two-point baskets on 29 attempts, a 72% shooting rate. From three-point range, their opponent hit 11 of 33 shots, and Tulsa sent them to the line 25 times, where they made 18 free throws.