Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Buffalo Bulls Betting Pick & Prediction 12/9/23

Betting on today’s Hilltoppers and Bulls game? Catch the action at Alumni Arena in Buffalo, NY, as the Bulls hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Hilltoppers come into this non-conference matchup as the betting favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 148 points.

WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS VS BUFFALO BULLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Buffalo Bulls +7

This game will be played at Alumni Arena at 2:00 ET on Saturday, December 9th.

WHY BET THE BUFFALO BULLS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-68 in favor of the Bulls.
• Not only will Buffalo pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +7.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 148 points, and we like the under with a projected 142 points.

Is a Road Win Possible for Western Kentucky?

The Hilltoppers are 6-3 going into today’s game, having lost their last game to UNC Asheville (77-67). In their away games, the Hilltoppers have a 2-1 record, while their home record is 0-2. Western Kentucky’s against-the-spread (ATS) record is below .500, sitting at 2-3. On the road this season, Western Kentucky has a 2-1 ATS record, and in their last ten road games, they are 4-6 ATS.

In nine games, Western Kentucky comes in with an over/under mark of 2-3-0, with their games averaging 148.4 points per game. The Hilltoppers’ last five games have finished with a combined 153 points per game and an over/under record of 1-3.

Compared to their season average of 80.9 points per game, Western Kentucky struggled in their previous game. Against UNC Asheville, the Hilltoppers scored 67 points while finishing with a field goal percentage of 50%. In terms of offense, the Hilltoppers have a season-long field goal percentage of 44%, putting them 190th in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 404th in percentage and 326th in three-pointers made.

Western Kentucky’s defense is currently in line with the NCAA average for points allowed, allowing an average of 73.8 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 4.4 threes per game vs. Buffalo. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 21.9%.

Is an Upset Waiting to Happen at Home?

Buffalo, who is about to play their 10th game of the season, currently has a 1-8 overall record. In away games, the Bulls are 0-3, while at home they are 0-5. Buffalo comes into today’s game with a 3-5 record against the spread. In their previous five games, they are 3-2 ATS.

So far, Buffalo’s games have averaged 147.2 points per game with the average over/under line being 146.9 points. The Bulls have an over/under record of 1-2 in their last three games, with their games averaging 140 points per game.

In their recent matchup, the Buffalo offense ended with 65 points against St. Bonaventure. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 37.9% and made 2 threes. Sy Chatman is leading the team in scoring at 15.8 points per contest. Jonnivius Smith has also been a key contributor with a PPG average of 9.8 going into the game.

Facing Western Kentucky, Buffalo aims for a better defensive performance, given their current average of 83.1 points allowed per game (252nd). So far, the Buffalo defense is giving up an average of 7.8 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 16.4 times per game (612nd).