Winthrop Eagles vs Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 1/20/24

The Eagles and Runnin’ Bulldogs are set to face off at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. The Runnin’ Bulldogs will host the game at Paul Porter Arena in Boiling Springs, NC. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 145.5 points, and the Runnin’ Bulldogs are favored to win at home against the Eagles.

WINTHROP EAGLES VS GARDNER-WEBB RUNNIN’ BULLDOGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs -1

This game will be played at Paul Porter Arena at 1:00 ET on Saturday, January 20th.

WHY BET THE GARDNER-WEBB RUNNIN’ BULLDOGS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
• Not only will Gardner-Webb pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 145.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Are the Eagles Ready for a Win at Boiling Springs?

Winthrop comes into this game as the underdog, as they have gone 0-5 in games where they were not favored. Overall, they are 13-7, including a 3-1 record in Big South play. On the road, the Eagles have gone 4-5, and their average scoring margin is -3.4.

In their most recent game, Winthrop fell to UNC Asheville by a score of 82-77. Over their last 10 road games, the Eagles have gone 4-6, and they are 2-3 in their last five.

Winthrop’s ATS record for the season is 7-9, but their mark vs. the spread as the underdog is just 2-3. However, they have gone 2-1 ATS on the road over their last three games and 4-6 in their last 10 road contests.

Winthrop’s over/under record this season sits at 7-9 and the average over/under line in their games is 146.8. Today’s over/under line of 145.5 is lower than the average scoring in their games this year (146.7). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 163 points and their over/under record during this stretch is 3-0.

Coming off their recent game, the Winthrop offense tallied 77 points in a matchup against UNC Asheville. Their field goal percentage for the game was 47.1%, and they made 10 threes. For the season, the Winthrop offense has been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the NCAA with a field goal percentage of 46%. So far, they have hit 53% of their looks from inside the arc, and are averaging 7.9 made three’s per contest.

At present, the Eagles’ defense is nationally ranked 118th, allowing 70.0 points per game. In their most recent game, the Winthrop defense struggled to defend the three-point line, as UNC Asheville knocked down 10 three-pointers on their way to 82 points.

Can the Runnin’ Bulldogs Pull Off a Home Win?

After defeating Radford 74-68, Gardner-Webb will look to extend their two-game win streak as they host Winthrop. So far this season, the Runnin’ Bulldogs have gone 2-3 as the favorite and 2-3 at home. Their average margin of victory at home is -1.4 points per game.

For the season, Gardner-Webb has gone 7-12, including a 2-9 record on the road. Their average scoring margin on the road is -7.9 points per game. In Big South play, the Runnin’ Bulldogs are 2-2 compared to their 5-10 non-conference record.

As the favorite this season, Gardner-Webb has gone just 2-3 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Runnin’ Bulldogs are just 2-8 ATS. At home this year, they are 3-2 ATS and their last 10 home games, they are just 3-7 ATS.

Today’s over/under line of 145.5 is lower than the average over/under line in Gardner-Webb’s games this season (142.5). So far, 11 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 145 points.

In their previous game, the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ offense finished with 74 points, which is right in line with their current average of 73.6 points per contest. On the offensive front, the Runnin’ Bulldogs have a season-long field goal percentage of 42%, ranking 317th nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 319th in terms of percentage and 205th in three-pointers made.

Coming into today’s game, the Gardner-Webb defense is giving up an average of 73.3 points per contest. Gardner-Webb’s three-point defense is currently 45th in the country at 5.6 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 43.0% of their shots vs. Gardner-Webb.