Saint Louis Billikens vs San Francisco Dons NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/5/24

Betting on today’s Billikens and Dons game? Catch the action at War Memorial Gymnasium in San Francisco, CA, as the Dons hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 152 points, and San Francisco is favored by -8.5 against Saint Louis in a non-conference matchup.

SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS VS SAN FRANCISCO DONS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Saint Louis Billikens +8.5

This game will be played at War Memorial Gymnasium at 10:00 ET on Thursday, December 5th.

WHY BET THE SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Billikens.
• Not only will Saint Louis pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +8.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 152 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Are the Billikens Ready for a Road Win?

Saint Louis Billikens Recent Game/Games

The Billikens improved to 4-2 on the season with a 74-66 win over Jackson State on Monday. Despite being -20 favorites, Saint Louis didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 140 fell short of the O/U line of 154.5.

After trailing 35-30 at halftime, the Billikens turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Jackson State 44-31 to secure the win.

Saint Louis put up 74 points in their last game, shooting 52.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 62.3%. They hit 64.3% of their two-point shots and 40% from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 25 three-point attempts.

Despite their strong shooting, the Billikens struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 8 of 22 attempts (36.4%). They grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 19 assists, with Isaiah Swope and Robbie Avila each contributing 7 assists. Gibson Jimerson led the team with 21 points, while Swope added 18, and Avila chipped in 15 points and 8 rebounds.

Despite Saint Louis allowing 66 points, they struggled defensively, giving up 52% shooting from the field. The Billikens allowed their opponent to hit 64% of their two-point attempts, going 18/28 from inside the arc.

From three-point range, Saint Louis gave up 10 threes on 25 attempts, a 40% shooting clip. They did catch a break at the free-throw line, where their opponent shot just 36%, hitting 8 of 22 attempts. The Billikens also allowed 14 offensive rebounds.

Can San Francisco Live Up to the Hype at Home?

San Francisco Dons Recent Game/Games

The Dons improved to 6-2 on the season with an 87-59 win over Mercyhurst on Sunday. San Francisco, playing at home, entered the game as heavy favorites (-30.5) but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 146, surpassing the O/U line of 133.5.

San Francisco trailed 36-32 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, scoring 55 points while holding Mercyhurst to just 23.

The Dons put up 87 points in their last game, shooting 58.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 63.6%. They were dominant inside, hitting 70.3% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 33.3% from beyond the arc.

Malik Thomas led the way with 29 points, shooting 73.3% overall. Jeff Planutis added 19 points, hitting 80.0% from the field and 75.0% from three. The Dons also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 19 assists, though they struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 54.8%.

Despite San Francisco’s defensive struggles, they managed to hold their opponent to 59 points. The Dons allowed 58% shooting from the field, with 32 made baskets on 55 attempts.

Inside the arc, San Francisco gave up 26 two-point field goals on 37 attempts, a 70% shooting rate. From three-point range, their opponent shot 6/18, or 33%.