Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs James Madison Dukes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/2/25

The Golden Eagles and Dukes are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Dukes will host the game at Atlantic Union Bank Center in Harrisonburg, VA. The over/under for this Sun Belt conference contest is set at 142.5 points, with James Madison being favored by -11.5 at home against Southern Miss.

SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES VS JAMES MADISON DUKES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southern Miss Golden Eagles +11.5

This game will be played at Atlantic Union Bank Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 2nd.

WHY BET THE SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Dukes.
• Even though we have James Madison winning straight-up, we like Southern Miss at +11.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Will the Golden Eagles Win on the Road?

Southern Miss improved to 4-7 on the season with a 68-66 win over Marshall on Saturday. The Golden Eagles, who were +3.5 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Southern Miss led 39-34 at halftime and scored 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32. The game’s total points of 134 fell under the O/U line of 146.5.

Southern Miss put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 48.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%. They hit 58.3% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 30% on 6-of-20 attempts. Their free-throw shooting was also a concern, as they connected on only 44.4% from the line.

The Golden Eagles grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists. Denijay Harris led the way with 29 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 62.5% from the field and 40% from three. Dezayne Mingo was efficient, hitting 6-of-7 shots overall and 2-of-3 from deep, finishing with 14 points.

Southern Miss allowed 66 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 48% from the field. The Golden Eagles gave up 21 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 58% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Southern Miss held their opponents to 6 made threes on 20 attempts, a 30% shooting performance. At the free-throw line, their opponents shot 44%, hitting 8 of 18 attempts. Southern Miss also allowed 17 offensive rebounds.

Will James Madison Find a Way to Win at Home?

James Madison Dukes Recent Game/Games

The Dukes fell to 5-6 on the season after a 77-49 road loss to South Alabama on Saturday. Entering the game as +1 point underdogs, James Madison not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 34-26 at halftime, the Dukes managed just 23 points in the 2nd half while allowing 43. The game’s total points of 126 fell short of the O/U line of 137.5.

James Madison struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 49 points with a field goal percentage of 29.1%. They shot 32% from two-point range and 26.7% from beyond the arc, resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 36.4%.

Myles Corey led the Dukes with 19 points and 7 assists, shooting 63.6% from the field. Barry Dunning Jr. added 16 points, hitting 58.3% of his shots, while Bryce Lindsay contributed 12 points, connecting on 4 of 12 three-point attempts.

James Madison’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 77 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 51% from the field. They had particular trouble inside, where the other team hit 74% of their two-point shots, going 20/27.

From beyond the arc, James Madison’s defense held the other team to 31% shooting, with 9 made threes on 29 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 11 times, where they converted 10 of those attempts. James Madison gave up 6 offensive rebounds in the game.