Samford Bulldogs vs Western Carolina Catamounts NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bulldogs and Catamounts. The game is starting at 3:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Catamounts at Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, NC. Get ready to place your bets! Samford is favored by -12.5 in this Southern conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 160.5 points.

SAMFORD BULLDOGS VS WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Western Carolina Catamounts +12.5

This game will be played at Ramsey Center at 3:00 ET on Saturday, January 4th.

WHY BET THE WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Catamounts.
• Not only will Western Carolina pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +12.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 160.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Do the Bulldogs Have What it Takes on the Road?

Samford Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Samford improved to 9-3 on the season with a dominant 86-56 win over The Citadel on Wednesday. Playing at home, Samford entered the game as -20.5 favorites and covered the spread with ease.

Samford led 41-27 at halftime and continued their strong play in the second half, outscoring The Citadel 45-29. The total points for the game were 142, falling short of the 154.5 O/U line.

Samford’s offense put up 86 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field. They connected on 18 of 41 three-point attempts, hitting at a 43.9% rate, with an effective field goal percentage of 61.3%.

Rylan Jones hit 6 of 9 threes, finishing with 18 points and 6 assists in 21 minutes. Trey Fort also made 5 of 10 from deep, scoring 19 points in 26 minutes.

Samford’s defense gave up 56 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 46% from the field, including 52% on two-point attempts (11/21).

From beyond the arc, the other team hit 18 of 41 threes, shooting 43%. They also went 10/13 from the free-throw line, and Samford gave up 12 offensive rebounds.

Do the Catamounts Have What it Takes to Win as Home Underdogs?

Western Carolina Catamounts Recent Game/Games

Western Carolina’s season struggles continued with a 90-61 home loss to Furman on Wednesday, dropping their record to 1-8. The Catamounts entered the game as +9.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 43-23 at halftime, Western Carolina allowed 47 points in the 2nd half while scoring 38. The game’s total points of 151 exceeded the O/U line of 145.5.

Western Carolina struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 33.9% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc, finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 39.3%. They did manage to hit 81% of their free throws, going 17-for-21 from the line.

Nick Anderson led the Catamounts with 20 points, hitting 4-of-5 threes and shooting 63.6% overall. Charles Johnston added 17 points, connecting on 3-of-4 from deep, while Bernard Pelote contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds, despite shooting 7-of-19 from the field.

Western Carolina’s defense gave up 90 points despite holding their opponent to 33% shooting from the field. The Catamounts allowed 19 field goals on 56 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Western Carolina’s opponent shot 24%, hitting 6 of 25 threes. At the free-throw line, they went 17/21, making 81% of their attempts. The Catamounts also gave up 9 offensive rebounds.