Valparaiso Beacons vs Western Michigan Broncos NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/20/24
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Beacons and Broncos. The game is starting at 1:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Broncos at University Arena (MI) in Kalamazoo, MI. Get ready to place your bets! This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 151.5 points, and Western Michigan is favored by -1.5 vs. Valparaiso.
VALPARAISO BEACONS VS WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Western Michigan Broncos -1.5
This game will be played at University Arena (MI) at 1:00 ET on Friday, December 20th.
WHY BET THE WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Broncos.
- Not only will Western Michigan pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 151.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Are the Beacons Ready for a Road Win?
Valparaiso Beacons Recent Game/Games
The Beacons dropped to 4-5 on the season after a 95-73 loss to Ohio State on Tuesday. Valparaiso entered the game as +21 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.
Valpo trailed 41-30 at halftime and allowed 54 points in the 2nd half while scoring 43 of their own. The total points for the game reached 168, surpassing the O/U line of 149.5.
Valparaiso’s offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 35.8% overall and 20.8% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 38.8%, but they did excel at the free-throw line, hitting 87% of their attempts.
Devin Royal led the way with 31 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 68.8% from the field. All Wright added 22 points, while Bruce Thornton contributed 14 points and a team-high 6 assists.
Valparaiso’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 95 points on 54% shooting. They allowed 33 field goals on 61 attempts.
Inside the arc, the Beacons gave up 27 two-pointers on 42 attempts, a 64% shooting rate. From three-point range, they allowed 6 of 19 shots to fall, a 31% success rate. Valparaiso also sent their opponents to the line 27 times, where they hit 23 free throws, an 85% rate.
Will the Broncos Find a Way to Win at Home?
The Broncos’ season continued to struggle as they fell to 2-7 after a 98-62 loss to North Dakota State on Sunday. Playing on the road, Western Michigan entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread.
Trailing 49-28 at halftime, the Broncos couldn’t mount a comeback, allowing another 49 points in the 2nd half while scoring 34. The game’s total points reached 160, exceeding the pre-game O/U line of 144.
Western Michigan struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 38.7% from the field and finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 41.9%. They connected on 38.5% of their three-point attempts, going 5-for-13 from deep, while hitting 69.2% of their free throws.
Chansey Willis Jr. led the Broncos with 22 points and 5 assists, shooting 50% from both the field and beyond the arc. Jacari White added 19 points, hitting 4 of 6 threes, and Jacksen Moni contributed 16 points and 7 assists, shooting 70% from the floor.
Western Michigan’s defense struggled, giving up 98 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 69% from the field. The Broncos couldn’t contain the two-point game, with the other team hitting 83% of their shots inside the arc.
From three-point range, Western Michigan allowed 18 threes on 58% shooting. They did limit free-throw damage, with the opponent going 4/9. The Broncos gave up just 3 offensive rebounds.