Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders vs Houston Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Islanders and Cougars. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on CBSS, and it’s hosted by the Cougars at Fertitta Center in Houston, TX. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 134.5 points, and Houston is favored by -28.5 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a non-conference matchup.

TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI ISLANDERS VS HOUSTON COUGARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders +28.5

This game will be played at Fertitta Center at 2:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.

WHY BET THE TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI ISLANDERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 80-67 in favor of the Cougars.
• Even though we have Houston winning straight-up, we like Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at +28.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 134.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Do the Islanders Have a Shot at a Win at Houston?

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi fell to 4-5 on the season after a 71-62 road loss to Hawaii on Sunday. The Islanders entered the game as +6 point underdogs and did not cover the spread. The total points for the game were 133, which fell short of the 143-point over/under line.

The Islanders were tied 28-28 at halftime but were outscored 43-34 in the second half.

In their latest game, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi put up 62 points, shooting 42.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage stood at 46.2%, with a two-point shooting mark of 42.9% (18/42) and a 40% success rate from beyond the arc (4/10).

Ryan Rapp was perfect from three, hitting 5/5 and finishing with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Marcus Greene added 15 points, while Gytis Nemeiksa and Garry Clark contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi gave up 71 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 51% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 59% shooting, with the other team hitting 16 of 27 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, the Islanders’ defense gave up 8 threes on 20 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 23 times, where they made 15 free throws, shooting 65%. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi allowed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Do the Cougars Have What it Takes at Home?

Houston improved to 7-3 on the season with a dominant 78-49 win over Toledo on Wednesday. The Cougars were heavy favorites at home, but they didn’t cover the -30 spread. The total points for the game were 127, falling short of the 141.5 O/U line.

Houston took control early, leading 39-22 at halftime, and matched that output in the 2nd half while holding Toledo to 27 points.

In their latest game, the Cougars put up 78 points, shooting 44.8% from the field. Their two-point shooting was impressive at 60.5% (26/43), but they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 16.7% (4/24) of their threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.8%.

Houston grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and connected on 73.7% of their free throws (14/19). Terrance Arceneaux led the way with 16 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 58.3% overall and 50% from three (1/2). Joseph Tugler was efficient, scoring 13 points on 5/6 shooting in just 16 minutes.

Even with Houston allowing 49 points, their defense struggled inside, giving up 60% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 26 of 43 shots. However, Houston’s defense was effective from beyond the arc, holding the other team to just 4 made threes on 24 attempts, a 16% success rate.

From the free-throw line, Houston’s opponents went 14/19, good for 73%. The Cougars also gave up 16 offensive rebounds in the game.