Sacred Heart Pioneers vs Miami (OH) RedHawks NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/22/24

Planning on watching today’s Pioneers and RedHawks game? Catch the action at Millett Hall in Oxford, OH, as the RedHawks hosts this showdown at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 145.5 points, and Miami (OH) is favored by -7.5 at home against Sacred Heart.
SACRED HEART PIONEERS VS MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Miami (OH) RedHawks -7.5
This game will be played at Millett Hall at 1:00 ET on Sunday, December 22nd.
WHY BET THE MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the RedHawks.
- Not only will Miami (OH) pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can the Pioneers Pull Off a Win at Oxford?
The Pioneers fell to 4-7 on the season after a 74-66 home loss to Albany on Wednesday. Sacred Heart, who entered the game as -3.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
After leading 34-30 at halftime, Sacred Heart was outscored 44-32 in the second half. The combined points for the game were 140, falling short of the 155.5-point O/U line.
Sacred Heart struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, shooting just 21.7% on 5-of-23 attempts. Overall, they hit 40% of their shots, with an effective field goal percentage of 43.1%. Their two-point shooting was more reliable, as they connected on 50% of their attempts (21-of-42).
At the free-throw line, the Pioneers were efficient, making 9-of-10 attempts. They also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and dished out 12 assists. Tanner Thomas and Amar’e Marshall led the team with 16 points each, while Byron Joshua added 14 points and 9 rebounds.
Even though Sacred Heart gave up 74 points, they held their opponent to 40% shooting from the field. The Pioneers allowed 21 two-point field goals on 42 attempts, a 50% success rate for the opposing team.
From beyond the arc, Sacred Heart’s defense was more effective, limiting their opponent to just 5 made threes on 23 attempts, a 21% shooting performance. The Pioneers also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 10 times, where they converted 9 of those attempts.
Will the RedHawks Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?
Miami (OH) fell to 5-4 on the season after a 75-67 road loss to Vermont on Wednesday. The RedHawks entered the game as +5 underdogs and didn’t cover the spread. The total points of 142 exceeded the O/U line of 130.5.
Miami (OH) trailed 40-28 at halftime but showed some fight in the 2nd half, outscoring Vermont 39-35. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.
Miami (OH) struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 1 of 15 three-point attempts for a 6.7% shooting percentage. However, they found success inside, shooting 62.8% on two-point attempts and finishing with an overall field goal percentage of 48.3%.
Nick Fiorillo and Peter Suder each scored 21 points, with Suder shooting 57.1% from the field. TJ Hurley added 20 points, while Antwone Woolfolk was nearly perfect from the field, hitting 6 of 7 shots for 12 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.
Even with Miami (OH) giving up 75 points, their defense struggled to contain the opposition, allowing them to shoot 47% from the field. The RedHawks couldn’t stop the two-point attempts, as the other team connected on 63% of their shots inside the arc, going 14/22.
From three-point range, Miami (OH) held the opposing team to 30% shooting, with just 6 made threes on 20 attempts. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 32 times, where they converted 29 for a 90% rate. The RedHawks did manage to keep the opposition from grabbing any offensive rebounds.