Sacred Heart Pioneers vs Siena Saints NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/25
Betting on today’s Pioneers and Saints game? Catch the action at MVP Arena in Albany, NY, as the Saints hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 140.5 points, and Siena is favored by -1.5 vs. Sacred Heart in a Metro Atlantic Athletic conference matchup.
SACRED HEART PIONEERS VS SIENA SAINTS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Siena Saints -1.5
This game will be played at MVP Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 16th.
WHY BET THE SIENA SAINTS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the Saints.
- Not only will Siena pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 140.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Does Sacred Heart Have A Chance at MVP Arena?
Sacred Heart dropped to 5-10 on the season after a 73-71 road loss to Mount St. Mary’s on Sunday. The Pioneers, who entered the game as +3 underdogs, managed to cover the spread but couldn’t pull off the win.
After trailing 41-32 at halftime, Sacred Heart made a push in the second half, outscoring the Mountaineers 39-32. The total points for the game came in at 144, falling short of the 151.5 O/U line.
In their last game, Sacred Heart’s offense put up 71 points, shooting 37.1% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.8%, with a 31.6% mark from three-point range, hitting 12 of 38 attempts. They were solid at the free-throw line, converting 81.2% of their shots (13/16).
Tanner Thomas led the way, scoring 25 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, shooting 50% from both the field and beyond the arc (5/10 from three). Dola Adebayo and Griffin Barrouk each added 15 points, with Barrouk knocking down 5 threes at a 38.5% clip. The Pioneers also collected 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 15 assists in the game.
Despite Sacred Heart’s defensive struggles, giving up 73 points on 49% shooting, they allowed 62% from two-point range, with opponents hitting 15 of 24 attempts. From beyond the arc, the Pioneers conceded 12 threes on 31 attempts, a 38% success rate.
Sacred Heart sent their opponents to the free-throw line 10 times, where they converted 7 free throws for a 70% mark. The Pioneers also gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.
Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Siena?
The Saints fell to 7-9 on the season after a 72-53 road loss to Quinnipiac on Friday. Siena entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 125, which was under the O/U line of 140.5.
Siena struggled in the first half, trailing 43-15 at halftime. They showed some fight in the second half, outscoring Quinnipiac 38-29, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.
Siena’s offense struggled mightily in their last game, scoring just 53 points on 29.7% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 34.4%, and they hit only 30% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 29.2% from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, they managed just 53.3% on 8-of-15 shooting.
Justice Shoats led the team with 17 points and 5 assists, while Amarri Monroe and Major Freeman each added 16 points. Freeman hit 5 threes at a 55.6% clip, and Jaden Zimmerman also contributed, shooting 66.7% from both the field and three-point range.
Despite Siena’s defensive efforts, they allowed 72 points on 47% shooting from the field. The Saints struggled to contain their opponent inside, giving up 23 two-point baskets on 42 attempts, a 54% success rate.
Siena did manage to limit the damage from beyond the arc, holding their opponent to 5 made threes on 17 attempts, a 29% shooting performance. However, they sent them to the free-throw line 13 times, where they converted 11 for 84%. The Saints also gave up 9 offensive rebounds.