Western Carolina Catamounts vs UNC Asheville Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/14/24
Planning on watching today’s Catamounts and Bulldogs game? Catch the action at Kimmel Arena in Asheville, NC, as the Bulldogs hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 145.5 points, and UNC Asheville is favored by -9 vs. Western Carolina.
WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS VS UNC ASHEVILLE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: UNC Asheville Bulldogs -9
This game will be played at Kimmel Arena at 2:00 ET on Saturday, December 14th.
WHY BET THE UNC ASHEVILLE BULLDOGS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 80-67 in favor of the Bulldogs.
- Not only will UNC Asheville pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -9.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can Western Carolina Grab a Win on the Road?
Western Carolina Catamounts Recent Game/Games
The Catamounts dropped to 1-5 on the season after a 74-68 home loss to USC Upstate on Saturday. Western Carolina entered the game as -8.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread.
Western Carolina led 37-31 at halftime but were outscored 43-31 in the second half. The game’s total points of 142 fell short of the 161.5 O/U line.
Western Carolina put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 44.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. They hit 57.7% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 32.1% of their threes (9/28).
Brit Harris led the way with 16 points, shooting 66.7% overall. Bernard Pelote, Cord Stansberry, and Carmelo Adkins each added 14 points, with Adkins and Pelote both hitting 50% from three. Karmani Gregory contributed 11 points and 6 assists, despite shooting 30.8% from the field.
Western Carolina’s defense gave up 74 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 44% from the field, hitting 24 of 54 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 57% shooting, with 15 two-point baskets.
From three-point range, Western Carolina’s defense held their opponents to 32% shooting, with 9 made threes on 28 attempts. They also sent the other team to the line 16 times, where they made 11 free throws, a 68% rate.
Will the Bulldogs Win at Kimmel Arena?
UNC Asheville Bulldogs Recent Game/Games
UNC Asheville dropped to 3-4 on the season after a 74-52 road loss to George Mason on Tuesday. The Bulldogs entered the game as +11.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 126, falling short of the 141.5 O/U line.
After trailing 34-26 at halftime, Asheville struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 26 points while allowing 40.
UNC Asheville struggled offensively in their last game, putting up just 52 points on 38.5% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.3%, with a tough night from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of 17 attempts for 23.5%.
Jalen Haynes was a bright spot, scoring 25 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, shooting 12 of 15 from the field. The Bulldogs also shot 61.5% from the free-throw line and collected 7 offensive rebounds, finishing with 10 assists as a team.
UNC Asheville Bulldogs struggled defensively, giving up 74 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 62% from the field. Inside the arc, the Bulldogs allowed 21 of 29 shooting, a 72% success rate.
From three-point range, UNC Asheville’s defense gave up 6 threes on 14 attempts, a 42% shooting percentage. They also sent their opponent to the line 23 times, where they hit 14 free throws, shooting 60%. The Bulldogs allowed 7 offensive rebounds.