Wichita State Shockers vs Temple Owls NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/3/25

The Shockers and Owls are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN2. The Owls will host the game at Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA. The over/under for this game is set at 153 points, and Temple is favored by -1.5 vs. Wichita State in a American Athletic conference matchup.

WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS VS TEMPLE OWLS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Temple Owls -1.5

This game will be played at Liacouras Center at 7:00 ET on Friday, January 3rd.

WHY BET THE TEMPLE OWLS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 80-67 in favor of the Owls.
• Not only will Temple pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 153 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Will the Shockers Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?

Wichita State improved to 9-3 on the season with an 84-65 win over Kansas State on Saturday. The Shockers were +1.5 point underdogs going into the game but covered the spread with the victory.

Wichita State trailed 33-29 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 55-32. The total points for the game came in at 149, just under the O/U line of 151.5.

Wichita State put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 50.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.2%. They hit 40% of their threes, going 4-for-10, and connected on 53.1% of their two-point attempts. At the free-throw line, they were nearly perfect, hitting 20 of 22 for a 90.9% mark.

Xavier Bell led the way with 24 points, shooting 52.9% overall. Macaleab Rich added 20 points, hitting 3 of 5 from deep and shooting 61.5% overall. Corey Washington was efficient, scoring 18 points on 6 of 8 shooting, including 2 of 3 from three, while also grabbing 10 rebounds.

Wichita State’s defense gave up 65 points in their last game, allowing the opposing team to shoot 50% from the field, with 30 made baskets on 59 attempts. They struggled to contain shots inside the arc, where the other team hit 26 of 49 two-point attempts, a 53% success rate.

From beyond the three-point line, Wichita State’s defense allowed 4 made threes on 10 attempts, a 40% shooting performance. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 22 times, where they converted 20 of those attempts, shooting 90% from the stripe. Wichita State gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Can the Owls Deliver Being Favored at Home?

Temple Owls Recent Game/Games

The Owls improved to 7-5 on the season with a 91-71 win over Buffalo on Sunday. Temple was a -14.5 favorite at home and covered the spread, while the game’s total points of 162 went over the O/U line of 151.5.

Temple led 39-29 at halftime and scored 52 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42.

Temple’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 91 points with a field goal percentage of 52.6%. They shot 61.1% from two-point range and 38.1% from beyond the arc, contributing to an effective field goal percentage of 59.6%.

Jamal Mashburn Jr. led the way with 18 points, hitting 3 of 6 from three-point range. Quante Berry was nearly perfect, shooting 7 of 8 from the field and adding 15 points. Temple also connected on 23 free throws, despite shooting just 65.7% from the line.

Temple’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 71 points on 52% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 61% of their two-point attempts, with 22 made shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Temple’s opponents shot 38%, connecting on 8 of 21 attempts. The Owls also sent the other team to the free-throw line 35 times, where they made 23 free throws, shooting 65%.