Saint Joseph’s Hawks vs Virginia Tech Hokies NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24
The Hawks and Hokies are set to face off at 12:00 ET on CBSS. The Hokies will host the game at The Palestra in Philadelphia, PA. Saint Joseph’s is the -4.5 point favorites in this non-conference matchup against Virginia Tech. The over/under for the game is set at 142.5 points.
SAINT JOSEPH’S HAWKS VS VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Virginia Tech Hokies +4.5
This game will be played at The Palestra at 12:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.
WHY BET THE VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Hokies.
- Not only will Virginia Tech pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.
Is a Road Win Possible for the Hawks?
Saint Joseph’s improved to 7-4 on the season with an 84-57 win over American on Wednesday. The Hawks were -12.5 favorites going into the game and covered the spread with the win.
Saint Joseph’s took control early, leading 44-26 at halftime. They scored 40 points in the 2nd half while allowing 31. The total points for the game were 141, just under the O/U line of 141.5.
Saint Joseph’s put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 60.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 68.8%. They connected on 50% of their threes (8/16) and hit 65.6% of their two-point attempts (21/32), while also making 85.7% of their free throws (18/21).
Rasheer Fleming led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 73.3% from the field and hitting 2 of 4 from deep. Erik Reynolds II added 23 points and 6 assists, while Greg Jones and Matt Rogers each contributed 19 points, with Jones shooting 85.7% and Rogers hitting 61.5% from the floor.
Even with Saint Joseph’s allowing 57 points, their defense struggled, giving up 60% shooting from the field. The Hawks allowed 29 made field goals on 48 attempts.
Saint Joseph’s also sent the other team to the line 21 times, where they hit 18 free throws, shooting 85%.
Is a Home Win Possible for Virginia Tech?
Virginia Tech improved to 5-6 on the season with an 80-72 win over Navy on Sunday. The Hokies were favored by 13.5 points, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 152, surpassing the over/under line of 140.5.
Virginia Tech led 46-41 at halftime and outscored Navy 34-31 in the second half to secure the win.
Virginia Tech’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 80 points while shooting 52.9% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.7%, thanks in large part to their 55.6% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 18 attempts. At the free-throw line, they were nearly automatic, connecting on 16 of 18 for 88.9%.
Ben Burnham led the way with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range. Rodney Brown Jr. also had a strong performance, hitting 3-of-4 from deep and finishing with 11 points. The Hokies had a balanced scoring effort, with eight players scoring in double figures.
Virginia Tech’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 72 points on 52% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to connect on 17 of 33 two-point attempts, a 51% success rate.
From beyond the arc, the Hokies allowed 10 three-pointers on 18 attempts, with their opponent shooting 55%. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 16, an 88% clip.