Western Carolina Catamounts vs VMI Keydets NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/15/25

Planning on watching today’s Catamounts and Keydets game? Catch the action at Cameron Hall in Lexington, VA, as the Keydets hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 147 points, and VMI is favored by -3 to win at home against Western Carolina.

WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS VS VMI KEYDETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: VMI Keydets -3

This game will be played at Cameron Hall at 6:00 ET on Wednesday, January 15th.

WHY BET THE VMI KEYDETS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Keydets.
• Not only will VMI pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 147 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Do the Catamounts Stand a Chance on the Road?

Western Carolina Catamounts Recent Game/Games

Western Carolina improved to 2-11 on the season with an 85-82 win over Mercer on Sunday. The Catamounts, who were +4.5 underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After trailing 44-40 at halftime, Western Carolina outscored Mercer 45-38 in the second half. The game’s total points of 167 exceeded the O/U line of 154.5.

Western Carolina put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.8%. They hit 64.3% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 32.4% from beyond the arc, going 11-for-34 from three. At the free-throw line, the Catamounts were 16-for-20, shooting 80%.

Alex Holt led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 7-of-11 from the field. Ahmad Robinson added 18 points and 13 rebounds, despite shooting just 36.8%. Ice Emery contributed 16 points, hitting 4-of-8 from three-point range, while Cord Stansberry added 17 points, making 3-of-5 from deep.

Western Carolina’s defense struggled, giving up 82 points on 46% shooting from the field. They allowed 64% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 18 of 28 shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Western Carolina’s defense allowed 11 threes on 34 attempts, a 32% shooting rate. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 free throws for 80%. The Catamounts gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Will VMI Find a Way to Win at Home?

The Keydets fell to 2-11 on the season after a 91-66 road loss to Chattanooga on Sunday. Entering the game as +13.5 point underdogs, VMI not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 157, exceeding the over/under line of 149.5.

VMI found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 51-22 at halftime. They managed to outscore Chattanooga 44-40 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to make a significant impact on the game’s outcome.

VMI struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 36.4% from the field and 26.1% from three-point range, finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 41.8%. They managed 66 points, with 12 offensive rebounds and 12 assists, while hitting 74.1% of their free throws, going 20-for-27 from the line.

Honor Huff was a bright spot, scoring 31 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 9-of-10 from three-point range. Augustinas Kiudulas added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Jaylen Pazon contributed 15 points in just 15 minutes, hitting 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.

VMI’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 91 points while allowing the opposing team to shoot 62% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable from beyond the arc, where they allowed 19 threes on 28 attempts, a 67% shooting rate.

From the free-throw line, VMI’s opponent went 10/12, hitting 83% of their shots. The Keydets did manage to limit second-chance opportunities, giving up just 3 offensive rebounds.