Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Utah Runnin’ Utes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Red Raiders and Runnin’ Utes. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Runnin’ Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Get ready to place your bets! In this Big 12 matchup, Texas Tech is favored bt -2.5 vs. Utah. The over/under for the game is 154.5 points.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS VS UTAH RUNNIN’ UTES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Utah Runnin’ Utes +2.5
This game will be played at Jon M. Huntsman Center at 7:00 ET on Saturday, January 4th.
WHY BET THE UTAH RUNNIN’ UTES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-71 in favor of the Runnin’ Utes.
- Not only will Utah pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 154.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Can Texas Tech Stun the Crowd at Jon M. Huntsman Center?
Texas Tech Red Raiders Recent Game/Games
Texas Tech dropped to 9-3 on the season after an 87-83 home loss to UCF on Tuesday, December 31st. The Red Raiders were -13.5 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread.
Texas Tech trailed 47-41 at halftime but outscored UCF 42-40 in the second half. The total points for the game were 170, surpassing the O/U line of 146.5.
In their last game, Texas Tech put up 83 points, shooting 45.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.2%, with a 53.6% success rate on two-pointers (30/56). However, they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 18.8% of their threes (3/16). At the free-throw line, they connected on 77.8% of their attempts (14/18) and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, finishing with 13 assists.
JT Toppin led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 57.9% from the field. Darius Johnson added 24 points, shooting 70.0% overall and 66.7% from three (2/3). Keyshawn Hall contributed 22 points, hitting 69.2% of his shots and going 4/4 from deep.
Texas Tech’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 87 points on 45% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 53% of their two-point attempts, going 30/56 inside the arc.
From three-point range, Texas Tech held their opponent to 18% shooting, with just 3 made threes on 16 attempts. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 14 for 77%. Texas Tech also allowed 17 offensive rebounds.
Can the Utah Offense Score Enough at Home?
Utah Runnin’ Utes Recent Game/Games
Utah’s season record dropped to 8-4 after an 81-56 loss to Baylor on Tuesday. The Utes, who were +11.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread in this one.
Utah struggled offensively in the first half, scoring just 17 points, and while they improved with 39 points in the second half, they allowed 44 points to Baylor after halftime. The game’s total points of 137 fell short of the 152.5 O/U line.
Utah’s offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 56 points on 31.8% shooting from the field. They hit only 23.3% of their three-point attempts, going 7-for-30 from deep, and their free-throw shooting was also lacking at 53.8%.
VJ Edgecombe led the way with 19 points, shooting 60% from the field and 50% from three. Hunter Erickson was efficient as well, hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and finishing with 13 points on 71.4% shooting overall.
Despite Utah’s defensive efforts, they gave up 81 points, with their opponents shooting 40% from the field. Utah allowed 37 two-point attempts, with the other team converting 51% of those shots.
From beyond the arc, Utah’s defense held their opponents to 28% shooting, with 9 made threes on 32 attempts. They also sent the other team to the line 18 times, where they hit 16 free throws, an 88% success rate. Utah allowed 14 offensive rebounds in the game.