Samford Bulldogs vs Arizona Wildcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/18/24

Looking to win big? The Bulldogs and Wildcats face off at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The Wildcats are hosting the game at McKale Center in Tucson, AZ. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 167.5 points, with Arizona being favored by -19.5 over Samford.

SAMFORD BULLDOGS VS ARIZONA WILDCATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Samford Bulldogs +19.5

This game will be played at McKale Center at 9:00 ET on Wednesday, December 18th.

WHY BET THE SAMFORD BULLDOGS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Wildcats.
• Even though we have Arizona winning straight-up, we like Samford at +19.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 167.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Are the Bulldogs Ready for a Road Win?

Samford Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Samford improved to 7-2 on the season with a dominant 72-47 win over Austin Peay on Sunday. The Bulldogs, who were -13 favorites, covered the spread in this home game.

After leading 26-22 at halftime, Samford’s defense stepped up, allowing just 25 points in the 2nd half while scoring 46. The game’s total points of 119 fell well short of the 150.5 O/U line.

Samford put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 40.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 48.5%. They connected on 35.5% of their threes, going 11-for-31 from deep, and hit 45.7% of their two-point attempts.

The Bulldogs grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and dished out 18 assists. Darius Dawson led the team with 18 points in just 15 minutes, shooting 7-for-11. Trey Fort and Riley Allenspach each added 15 points, with Fort hitting 5-of-8 threes.

Samford’s defense held strong, allowing just 47 points on 40% shooting from the field. Opponents shot 45% from two-point range, hitting 16 of 35 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the other team went 11/31, shooting 35%. Samford also sent them to the line 10 times, where they made 7 free throws (70%).

Do the Wildcats Stand a Chance at Home?

Arizona Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Arizona’s season record dropped to 4-5 after a 57-54 home loss to UCLA on Saturday, December 14th. The Wildcats were -4 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 30-28 at halftime, Arizona scored 26 points in the 2nd half while allowing 27. The game’s total points of 111 fell well below the O/U line of 144.5.

Arizona managed just 54 points in their last game, shooting 45.2% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.6%, hindered by a 12.5% performance from three-point range, hitting only 2 of 16 attempts. Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, connecting on 65.4% of their two-point shots.

At the free-throw line, Arizona shot 73.7%, making 14 of 19 attempts. They grabbed 9 offensive rebounds and dished out 11 assists. Tyler Bilodeau led the team with 17 points, while Skyy Clark added 15, hitting 3 of 7 from deep. Jaden Bradley contributed 12 points and 6 assists.

Arizona’s defense held their opponent to 57 points, despite allowing them to shoot 45% from the field. The Wildcats gave up 17 two-point baskets on 26 attempts, a 65% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Arizona limited their opponent to just 2 made threes on 16 attempts, a 12% success rate. The Wildcats also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they made 14 free throws, shooting 73%.