UT Martin Skyhawks vs Morehead State Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/19/24
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Skyhawks versus the Eagles? Tip off is at at 7:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Ellis T. Johnson Arena in Morehead, KY. This Ohio Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 145.5 points, and Morehead State is favored to win by -5.5 at home vs. UT Martin.
UT MARTIN SKYHAWKS VS MOREHEAD STATE EAGLES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Morehead State Eagles -5.5
This game will be played at Ellis T. Johnson Arena at 7:30 ET on Thursday, December 19th.
WHY BET THE MOREHEAD STATE EAGLES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Eagles.
- Not only will Morehead State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.
Will the Skyhawks Find a Way to Win on the Road?
UT Martin Skyhawks Recent Game/Games
UT Martin fell to 1-7 this season after a 103-93 road loss to Alabama State on Wednesday. The Skyhawks entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 196, well over the pre-game O/U line of 146.5.
After trailing 48-30 at halftime, UT Martin made a push in the 2nd half, scoring 58 points while holding Alabama State to 40, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
UT Martin put up 93 points in their last game, shooting 47.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1%. They hit 60% of their two-point attempts and connected on 12 of 33 threes, shooting 36.4% from deep. At the free-throw line, they made 21 of 30 attempts, good for 70%.
Micah Simpson led the way from beyond the arc, hitting 6 of 10 threes at 60%, while Tyler Mack knocked down 5 of 7, shooting 71.4% from deep. Tarence Guinyard scored a team-high 31 points, and CJ Hines contributed 17 points and 11 assists. The Skyhawks also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 11 assists as a team.
Despite UT Martin’s defensive efforts, they gave up 103 points on 50% shooting from the field, as their opponents hit 36 of 72 attempts. Inside the arc, UT Martin allowed 52% shooting, with the opposing team making 19 of 36 two-point shots.
From beyond the arc, UT Martin’s defense struggled, giving up 17 threes on 36 attempts, a 47% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 22 times, where they converted 14 free throws, shooting 63%. UT Martin allowed 9 offensive rebounds in the game.
Can the Eagles Offense Score Enough at Home?
Morehead State dropped to 2-6 on the season after an 88-76 road loss to Ohio on Saturday. The Eagles, who were +13.5 underdogs, managed to cover the spread.
Trailing 39-33 at halftime, Morehead State scored 43 points in the 2nd half but allowed 49. The game’s total points of 164 exceeded the O/U line of 146.5.
Morehead State put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 41% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 49.2%. They connected on 43.5% of their three-point attempts, hitting 10 of 23 from deep, while struggling inside the arc, shooting just 39.5% on two-point attempts.
Jackson Paveletzke led the Eagles with 23 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 52.6% from the field, though he was just 1 of 5 from three. Elmore James and Tyler Brelsford each added 16 points, with both players hitting 2 of 4 from beyond the arc.
Morehead State’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 88 points on 53% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 66% of their two-point attempts, with 26 makes on 39 tries.
From beyond the arc, Morehead State’s opponents shot 30%, connecting on 7 of 23 three-point attempts. They also sent the other team to the line 18 times, where they made 15 free throws, an 83% clip.