USC Upstate Spartans vs Western Carolina Catamounts NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/7/24

The Spartans and Catamounts are set to face off at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The Catamounts will host the game at Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, NC. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 159.5 points, and Western Carolina is favored by -8.5 at home against USC Upstate.

USC UPSTATE SPARTANS VS WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS BETTING PICK

The Pick: USC Upstate Spartans +8.5

This game will be played at Ramsey Center at 3:00 ET on Saturday, December 7th.

WHY BET THE USC UPSTATE SPARTANS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Catamounts.
• Even though we have Western Carolina winning straight-up, we like USC Upstate at +8.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 159.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Do the Spartans Stand a Chance on the Road?

USC Upstate’s season struggles continued with a 73-51 loss to Coastal Carolina on Saturday, dropping them to 0-8. The Spartans were +6 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 124, which fell short of the 147.5 O/U line.

After trailing 29-26 at halftime, USC Upstate’s defense faltered in the 2nd half, allowing 44 points while scoring just 25.

USC Upstate’s offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 51 points with a 33.3% field goal percentage. They were 0-for-16 from beyond the arc, resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 33.3%.

The Spartans managed only 4 assists and 6 offensive rebounds. Joshua Meo and Jordan Battle each contributed 13 points, while Noah Amenhauser added 12 points and 8 rebounds in just 13 minutes.

USC Upstate’s defense struggled in their previous game, giving up 73 points on 52% shooting from the field. Opponents found success inside, hitting 58% of their two-point attempts (20/34).

From beyond the arc, the opposing team shot 42%, connecting on 9 of 21 three-point attempts. USC Upstate sent them to the line 10 times, where they made 6 free throws. The Spartans allowed 6 offensive rebounds.

Will the Catamounts Live Up to Expectations at Home?

Western Carolina picked up their first win of the season, moving to 1-4 after an 86-74 victory over Bellarmine on Wednesday. Playing at home, the Catamounts were -5 favorites and covered the spread.

After a 43-43 tie at halftime, Western Carolina’s defense stepped up, allowing just 31 points in the second half while scoring 43 of their own. The game’s total points hit 160, going over the pre-game O/U line of 146.

Western Carolina put up 86 points in their latest game, shooting 48.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 59.4%. They connected on 13 of 32 three-point attempts, shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc, while hitting 56.2% of their two-point shots. At the free-throw line, the Catamounts shot 61.1%, making 11 of 18 attempts.

Cord Stansberry led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 threes and adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Ben Johnson also contributed 22 points, knocking down 5 threes and grabbing 7 rebounds. Western Carolina finished with 14 assists and 13 offensive rebounds as a team.

Western Carolina’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 74 points on 48% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 56% of their two-point attempts, with 18 makes on 32 shots.

From beyond the arc, the Catamounts gave up 13 threes on 32 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. They also sent their opponents to the line 18 times, where they hit 11 free throws. Western Carolina allowed 13 offensive rebounds in the game.