Western Carolina Catamounts vs USC Upstate Spartans Betting Pick & Prediction 12/16/23

Looking to win big? The Catamounts and Spartans face off at 4:30 ET on ESPN+. The Spartans are hosting the game at Hodge Center in Spartanburg, SC. The Catamounts come into this non-conference matchup as the betting favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 146.5 points.

WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS VS USC UPSTATE SPARTANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: USC Upstate Spartans +4.5

This game will be played at Hodge Center at 4:30 ET on Saturday, December 16th.

WHY BET THE USC UPSTATE SPARTANS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-65 in favor of the Spartans.
• Not only will USC Upstate pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 146.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 143 points.

Will the Catamounts Defense Show Up in Spartanburg?

The Catamounts enter today’s game with a 7-2 record, coming off a loss to High Point (97-71). So far this season, all of the Catamounts’ games have been played on the road. Western Carolina has a below .500 ATS record of 3-4. When playing on the road, the Catamounts are 2-3 vs. the spread, while they are 1-1 at home ATS.

Western Carolina’s games have, on average, featured 145.3 points per game leading to an over/under record of 3-4-0. Their average over/under line is currently 143.1 points so far. The Catamounts’ last five games have finished with a combined 149 points per game and an over/under record of 2-3.

Compared to their season average of 77.2 points per game, Western Carolina struggled in their previous game. Against High Point, the Catamounts scored 71 points while finishing with a field goal percentage of 42.6%. Vonterius Woolbright is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 22.2. Meanwhile, DJ Campbell also brings a PPG average of 12.2 into the game.

The Catamounts’ defense is presently ranked 83rd nationally, allowing an average of 67.1 points per contest. Western Carolina’s three-point defense is currently 44th in the country at 5.4 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 37.1% of their shots vs. Western Carolina.

Does USC Upstate Have a Shot at a Home Win?

USC Upstate has a 4-6 record through their first ten games. Including last year, in their previous ten home games, USC Upstate has an 8-2 record. As of today, USC Upstate holds a 3-4 record against the spread. In their first home game this season, they will be looking to improve upon their 8-4 record vs. the spread at home from last year.

Looking at their over/under performance through 10 games, USC Upstate has an over/under record of 2-5-0, with their games averaging 143.1 points per game on average. The Spartans have an over/under record of 2-1 in their last three games, with their games averaging 156 points per game.

USC Upstate is coming off a good offensive performance, putting up 85 points vs. North Carolina Central. This figure is more than their season average of 73.1 points per game. On the offensive front, the Spartans have a season-long field goal percentage of 42%, ranking 240th nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 119th in terms of percentage and 69th in three-pointers made.

Coming into today’s game, the USC Upstate defense is giving up an average of 70.9 points per contest. On average, opposing teams are hitting 5.4 threes per game vs. Western Carolina. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 33.8%.