St. Thomas (MN) Tommies vs UC Riverside Highlanders NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/29/24
The Tommies and Highlanders are set to face off at 5:00 ET on ESPN+. The Highlanders will host the game at SRC Arena in Riverside, CA. The over/under for this game is set at 149.5 points, and UC Riverside is favored by -1.5 against St. Thomas (MN) in a non-conference matchup.
ST. THOMAS (MN) TOMMIES VS UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: UC Riverside Highlanders -1.5
This game will be played at SRC Arena at 5:00 ET on Sunday, December 29th.
WHY BET THE UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 91-59 in favor of the Highlanders.
- Not only will UC Riverside pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 149.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 150 points.
Will the Tommies Win in Riverside?
St. Thomas (MN) improved to 7-4 on the season with a 93-68 road win over Bowling Green on Saturday, December 21st. The Tommies entered the game as -3.5 favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 161 went over the pre-game line of 154.5.
St. Thomas dominated the first half, leading 46-20 at the break. In the second half, they scored 47 points but allowed 48, indicating some defensive lapses after halftime.
St. Thomas put up 93 points in their last game, shooting 51.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 61.3%. They hit 65.6% of their two-point attempts and connected on 36.7% from beyond the arc, making 11 threes. At the free-throw line, they were 18-of-22, good for 81.8%.
Miles Barnstable led the way with 23 points, while Javontae Campbell and Drake Dobbs each added 18. Marcus Johnson and Kendall Blue contributed 16 points apiece, with Derrick Butler and Carter Bjerke also scoring 15. Bjerke grabbed 7 rebounds, and Dobbs dished out 5 assists.
St. Thomas (MN) put on a strong defensive performance, holding their opponent to 68 points on 37% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team shooting 43% on 16/37 attempts.
From beyond the arc, St. Thomas (MN) kept their opponent to just 6 made threes on 27% shooting. They also controlled the boards, giving up only 6 offensive rebounds.
Are UC Riverside Ready for a Home Win?
UC Riverside Highlanders Recent Game/Games
UC Riverside dropped to 6-5 on the season after a 66-53 loss to UNLV on Saturday. The Highlanders, who were +9.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread in this one.
Riverside trailed 31-29 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 24 points while allowing 35. The total points for the game ended at 119, well below the O/U line of 142.5.
UC Riverside struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 28.8% from the field and 23.3% from beyond the arc, finishing with 53 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 33.3%, and they hit 8 of 11 free throws (72.7%).
The Highlanders grabbed 23 offensive rebounds and dished out 12 assists. Barrington Hargress led the team with 17 points, while Dedan Thomas Jr. added 15 points and 5 assists. Jeremiah Cherry contributed 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting in just 18 minutes.
Despite UC Riverside allowing 66 points on 44% shooting, their defense held strong from beyond the arc, limiting their opponent to just 3 made threes on 19 attempts (15%).
UC Riverside sent their opponent to the line 13 times, where they converted 9 free throws (69%). The Highlanders also gave up 14 offensive rebounds.