Long Beach State Beach vs Pepperdine Waves NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/19/24
Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Beach versus the Waves? Tip off is at at 9:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, CA. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 138.5 points, and Pepperdine is favored by -6.5 vs. Long Beach State.
LONG BEACH STATE BEACH VS PEPPERDINE WAVES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Long Beach State Beach +6.5
This game will be played at Firestone Fieldhouse at 9:00 ET on Thursday, December 19th.
WHY BET THE LONG BEACH STATE BEACH:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-73 in favor of the Waves.
- Even though we have Pepperdine winning straight-up, we like Long Beach State at +6.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 138.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Will the Beach Win in Malibu?
Long Beach State Beach Recent Game/Games
Long Beach State improved to 3-8 on the season with a 76-70 road win over San Diego on Tuesday. The Beach entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs and not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
Long Beach State led 33-30 at halftime and scored 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 40. The total points for the game were 146, going over the pre-game O/U line of 139.
Long Beach State’s offense was clicking in their last game, shooting 58.1% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range, finishing 7-of-13 from deep. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 65.1%, and they hit 19 of 25 free throws, good for 76%.
Kam Martin led the way, going 8-of-10 from the field and hitting all 5 of his three-point attempts, finishing with 25 points. Devin Askew added 23 points and 8 assists, while Kjay Bradley Jr. contributed 19 points and 6 assists.
Long Beach State’s defense gave up 70 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field. They allowed 25 made field goals on 58 attempts.
From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 11 of 25 threes, shooting 44%. Long Beach State also sent them to the line 11 times, where they made 9 free throws, an 81% rate.
Will the Waves Find a Way to Win at Home?
Pepperdine improved to 4-6 on the season with an 86-76 home win over Northern Arizona on Saturday. The Waves were -4 favorites going into the game and covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game hit 162, going over the pre-game O/U line of 146.
Pepperdine led 44-42 at halftime and tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, holding the Lumberjacks to 34 points while scoring 42 of their own.
Pepperdine’s offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 86 points with a 54.2% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 61%, thanks in part to a 53.8% success rate from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 13 threes.
The Waves dished out 21 assists, with Moe Odum contributing 8 along with 20 points and a perfect 3 for 3 from deep. Boubacar Coulibaly was flawless from the field, hitting all 10 of his shots for 22 points, while Carson Towt added 16 points and 16 rebounds, shooting 72.7% from the floor.
Despite Pepperdine’s defensive struggles, they couldn’t capitalize on offense, giving up 76 points on 54% shooting from the field. The Waves allowed their opponents to hit 25 of 46 two-point attempts, also at a 54% clip.
From beyond the arc, Pepperdine’s defense gave up 7 threes on 13 attempts, a 53% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 20 times, where they converted 15 free throws, shooting 75%.