Western Kentucky Hilltoppers vs Grand Canyon Antelopes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/9/24

Looking to win big? The Hilltoppers and Antelopes face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Antelopes are hosting the game at GCU Arena in Phoenix, AZ. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 160.5 points, and Grand Canyon is favored by -12.5 at home against Western Kentucky.

WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS VS GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers +12.5

This game will be played at GCU Arena at 8:00 ET on Saturday, November 9th.

WHY BET THE WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Antelopes.
• Even though we have Grand Canyon winning straight-up, we like Western Kentucky at +12.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 160.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Can the Hilltoppers Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Western Kentucky dropped their season opener at home to Wichita State, losing 91-84 on Monday. The Hilltoppers, who were slight -1 favorites, failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 43-38 at halftime, WKU scored 46 points in the 2nd half but allowed 48. The game’s total points of 175 exceeded the O/U line of 153.

Western Kentucky put up 84 points in their latest game, despite shooting just 39.7% from the field and 23.1% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.1%, but they made up for it by hitting 24 free throws at a 70.6% rate and grabbing 14 offensive rebounds.

Justin Hill led the way with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, shooting 64.3% overall and 57.1% from three. Babacar Faye added 28 points and 8 rebounds, while Don McHenry contributed 21 points, hitting 3 of 10 from deep.

Despite Western Kentucky holding their opponent to just 39% shooting overall, they still gave up 91 points in their last game. The Hilltoppers allowed 21 two-point field goals on 43 attempts, a 48% success rate for their opponent.

From beyond the arc, Western Kentucky’s defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 25 attempts, just 24% shooting. However, they sent their opponent to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 24 of those attempts, a 70% clip. The Hilltoppers also gave up 14 offensive rebounds.

Do the Antelopes Have What it Takes at Home?

Grand Canyon Antelopes Recent Game/Games

Grand Canyon opened their season with an 89-79 win over Cal State Fullerton on Monday. The Antelopes, who were -18.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 168, surpassing the 140-point O/U line.

Leading 47-45 at halftime, Grand Canyon tightened up defensively in the second half, holding Fullerton to 34 points while scoring 42 themselves.

JaKobe Coles led the way for Grand Canyon with 26 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field in their latest game. Ray Harrison added 21 points, despite shooting just 41.7% overall and 20% from beyond the arc.

Kaleb Brown was efficient, hitting 6 of 7 shots, including 3 of 4 from three-point range, finishing with 17 points. Donovan Oday contributed 12 points, though he struggled from the field, shooting 33.3% and missing his only three-point attempt.

Grand Canyon’s defense gave up 79 points in their last game, allowing the opposing team to shoot 47% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, where the other team hit 64% of their two-point attempts, going 18/28.

From beyond the arc, Grand Canyon’s opponents shot 32%, making 10 of 31 three-pointers. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 32 times, where they converted 23 free throws for 71%. Grand Canyon also gave up 16 offensive rebounds.