Sam Houston Bearkats vs Kennesaw State Owls NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/25
Planning on watching today’s Bearkats and Owls game? Catch the action at KSU Convocation Center in Kennesaw, GA, as the Owls hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. Sam Houston come into this Conference USA conference matchup as the -2 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 162 points.
SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS VS KENNESAW STATE OWLS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Kennesaw State Owls +2
This game will be played at KSU Convocation Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 16th.
WHY BET THE KENNESAW STATE OWLS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 80-66 in favor of the Owls.
- Not only will Kennesaw State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +2.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 162 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Are Sam Houston Ready for a Road Win?
Sam Houston improved to 5-9 on the season with an 81-74 win over FIU on Saturday. The Bearkats were -8.5 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 155, going over the pre-game O/U line of 152.5.
Sam Houston led 36-27 at halftime, but FIU made things interesting by scoring 47 points in the 2nd half. The Bearkats managed to hold on, scoring 45 points of their own after the break to secure the win.
Sam Houston put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 41.2% from the field and 51% in effective field goal percentage. They hit 45.5% from three-point range, making 10 of 22 attempts, while struggling inside, shooting just 37.9% on two-pointers. At the free-throw line, they connected on 29 of 34 attempts, an 85.3% success rate.
Lamar Wilkerson led the way with 29 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes and shooting 66.7% overall. Jayden Brewer added 20 points, and Marcus Boykin contributed 17, making 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Jonathan Aybar grabbed 11 rebounds to go with his 12 points.
Even with Sam Houston holding them to 41% shooting, the Bearkats’ opponent managed to put up 74 points. They shot 45% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of their 22 three-point attempts.
Sam Houston sent their opponent to the line 34 times, where they converted 29 free throws, shooting 85%. The Bearkats also gave up 11 offensive rebounds in the game.
Will the Owls Come Through as Home Underdogs?
Kennesaw State fell to 6-7 on the season after an 85-69 loss to Western Kentucky on Saturday. The Owls were +7.5 point underdogs going into the game and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 154, just under the O/U line of 162.5.
After trailing 40-25 at halftime, Kennesaw State put up 44 points in the 2nd half but couldn’t close the gap, as they allowed 45 points to the Hilltoppers in the final 20 minutes.
Kennesaw State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 32.9% from the field and 19.5% from three-point range, connecting on 8 of 41 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 38.6%, and they managed 16 offensive rebounds, finishing with 8 assists as a team.
Adrian Wooley led the way with 27 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53.3% overall and 42.9% from three. Tyrone Marshall Jr. added 20 points and 7 rebounds, hitting 50% of his threes, while Enoch Kalambay contributed 19 points and 8 rebounds, making 66.7% of his three-point attempts.
Despite Kennesaw State’s defensive efforts, they couldn’t slow down the opposing offense, giving up 85 points. The Owls allowed their opponents to shoot 42% from the field, with 15 of those baskets coming from two-point range.
Kennesaw State also struggled to contain the three-point line, where their opponents hit 11 of 26 attempts, good for 42%. Additionally, the Owls sent their opponents to the free-throw line 31 times, where they converted 22 free throws at a 71% clip.