Valparaiso Beacons vs Belmont Bruins NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/14/25
Planning on watching today’s Beacons and Bruins game? Catch the action at Curb Event Center in Nashville, TN, as the Bruins hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. This Missouri Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 158.5 points, and Belmont is favored to win by -6.5 at home vs. Valparaiso.
VALPARAISO BEACONS VS BELMONT BRUINS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Valparaiso Beacons +6.5
This game will be played at Curb Event Center at 7:30 ET on Tuesday, January 14th.
WHY BET THE VALPARAISO BEACONS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Bruins.
- Even though we have Belmont winning straight-up, we like Valparaiso at +6.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 158.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Can Valparaiso Pull Off A Win at Curb Event Center?
Valparaiso’s season record dropped to 8-7 after a 58-47 road loss to Murray State on Saturday. The Beacons entered the game as +8 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 105 fell well short of the 144.5 O/U line.
Valparaiso trailed 26-21 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the 2nd half, scoring 26 points while allowing 32.
Valparaiso’s offense struggled in their last game, managing just 47 points with a field goal percentage of 33.9% (19/56). Their effective field goal percentage was 39.3%, and they hit 29.2% from beyond the arc, making 7 of 24 attempts.
Nick Ellington led the way with 15 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 55.6% from the field. Cooper Schwieger added 12 points and 7 boards, hitting 54.5% of his shots. The Beacons finished with just 7 assists and 7 offensive rebounds.
Valparaiso put on a defensive clinic, holding their opponent to just 58 points on 34% shooting from the field. The Beacons were particularly effective inside, limiting two-point attempts to 37% shooting.
From beyond the arc, Valparaiso’s defense was equally impressive, as they allowed just 4 threes on 16 attempts (25%). They also sent their opponent to the line 24 times, where they converted 18 free throws (75%).
Can the Bruins Deliver Being Favored at Home?
Belmont improved to 11-5 on the season with an 84-79 road win over Indiana State on Saturday. The Bruins entered the game as +3 underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they also covered the spread.
Belmont led 42-32 at halftime and scored another 42 points in the 2nd half, though they allowed 47 points after the break. The total points for the game came in at 163, under the O/U line of 171.5.
Belmont’s offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 84 points with a field goal percentage of 51.7% and an effective field goal percentage of 61.7%. They connected on 46.2% of their threes, hitting 12 of 26 attempts, while shooting 55.9% from inside the arc.
Carter Whitt led the way with 25 points and 6 assists, shooting 52.6% from the field and 50% from three. Jaden Daughtry was nearly perfect, going 10-for-11 from the field in just 22 minutes, finishing with 23 points.
Despite Belmont’s defensive efforts, they gave up 79 points, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 27 of 63 attempts. Belmont struggled to contain them inside, allowing them to hit 65% of their two-point shots, going 17 for 26.
From beyond the arc, Belmont held their opponent to 27% shooting, as they made just 10 of 37 three-point attempts. The Bruins also sent them to the free-throw line 24 times, where they converted 15 free throws for 62%. Belmont allowed 12 offensive rebounds in the game.