Santa Clara Broncos vs McNeese State Cowboys NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/3/24

Looking to win big? The Broncos and Cowboys face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Cowboys are hosting the game at The Legacy Center in Lake Charles, LA. The odds for this non-conference game currently have McNeese State as the -5.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 142.5 points.

SANTA CLARA BRONCOS VS MCNEESE STATE COWBOYS BETTING PICK

The Pick: McNeese State Cowboys -5.5

This game will be played at The Legacy Center at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 3rd.

WHY BET THE MCNEESE STATE COWBOYS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-69 in favor of the Cowboys.
• Not only will McNeese State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Does Santa Clara Have What it Takes on the Road?

Santa Clara Broncos Recent Game/Games

Santa Clara fell to 3-5 on the season after a 76-69 loss to Washington on Friday. The Broncos were -2.5 favorites going into the road game but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 42-33 at halftime, Santa Clara tightened up defensively in the second half, outscoring Washington 36-34. The total points for the game ended at 145, just under the O/U line of 148.

Santa Clara’s offense put up 69 points in their last game, shooting 43.9% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.6%, and they connected on 81.8% of their free throws, going 9-for-11 from the line.

Carlos Stewart Jr. led the way with 20 points, hitting 4-of-9 from deep. Great Osobor and Elijah Mahi each added 19 points, with Osobor also contributing 8 rebounds and 5 assists. The Broncos finished with just 9 assists as a team and grabbed 8 offensive rebounds.

Santa Clara’s defense gave up 76 points, with their opponents shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 22 made two-pointers on 47 attempts, a 46% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Santa Clara’s defense held their opponents to 5 made threes on 15 attempts, a 33% shooting percentage. They also sent them to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 17, shooting 65%. Santa Clara allowed 15 offensive rebounds.

Will McNeese State Make it Happen at Home?

McNeese State Cowboys Recent Game/Games

The Cowboys dropped to 3-5 on the season after a 62-58 road loss to Liberty on Monday. McNeese State entered the game as -1.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 120, falling short of the 134.5 O/U line.

After a 29-29 tie at halftime, McNeese State was outscored 33-29 in the second half. The Cowboys will need to regroup as they look to bounce back from the loss.

McNeese State’s offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 58 points with a 44.7% field goal percentage. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.8%, largely due to a dismal 8.3% from beyond the arc, hitting just 1 of 12 attempts. They were much better inside, shooting 57.1% on two-point attempts.

Colin Porter led the way with 16 points and 5 assists, while Christian Shumate added 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting. Sincere Parker and Jayvon Maughmer each contributed 12 points, though Parker struggled from three, hitting just 1 of 7 attempts.

McNeese State’s defense held their opponent to 62 points on 41% shooting from the field, including 52% from two-point range, as they made 9 of 17 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the opponent hit 11 of 31 threes, shooting 35%. They also went 11/14 from the free-throw line, shooting 78%. McNeese State gave up 6 offensive rebounds.