Canisius Golden Griffins vs Iona Gaels NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/25
Betting on today’s Golden Griffins and Gaels game? Catch the action at Hynes Athletics Center in New Rochelle, NY, as the Gaels hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 142 points, and Iona is favored by -10.5 to win at home against Canisius.
CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS VS IONA GAELS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Canisius Golden Griffins +10.5
This game will be played at Hynes Athletics Center at 7:00 ET on Thursday, January 16th.
WHY BET THE CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Gaels.
- Even though we have Iona winning straight-up, we like Canisius at +10.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 142 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Will Canisius Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?
Canisius Golden Griffins Recent Game/Games
Canisius fell to 1-15 on the season after a 62-49 home loss to Saint Peter’s on Sunday. The Golden Griffins entered the game as +5.5 underdogs but failed to cover the spread.
Trailing 34-22 at halftime, Canisius scored 27 points in the 2nd half while allowing 28. The game’s total points were 111, falling short of the O/U line of 132.
Canisius struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 49 points with a field goal percentage of 34% (17/50). Their effective field goal percentage was 40%, and they shot 27.8% from three-point range, hitting 5 of 18 attempts. They also managed only 5 offensive rebounds and recorded 9 assists as a team.
Marcus Randolph led the way with 19 points, shooting 4/10 from beyond the arc. Tana Kopa contributed 12 points, hitting 4/6 from three-point range, while Paul McMillan IV and Bryce Eaton each added 11 points, with Eaton connecting on 3/6 from deep.
Canisius put on a defensive clinic, holding their opponent to just 62 points on 34% shooting from the field. They were particularly effective inside the arc, limiting two-point attempts to 12/32, or 37%.
The Golden Griffins also did well defending the three, with their opponent hitting only 5 of 18 attempts, good for 27%. Canisius sent them to the line 15 times, where they made 10 free throws, and gave up just 5 offensive rebounds.
Can the Gaels Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?
Iona’s season continued to be a struggle, as their record fell to 5-12 after a 63-62 loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday. The Gaels were +1.5 point underdogs going into the game and managed to cover the spread, but it was another close loss for the team.
At home, Iona led 37-33 at halftime but scored just 25 points in the second half while allowing 30. The game’s total points of 125 fell well below the O/U line of 145.5.
Iona struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 35.7% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc, finishing with 62 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 40%, and they hit only 6 of 15 free throws (40%).
Dejour Reaves led the Gaels with 16 points and 10 rebounds, despite going 0-3 from three-point range. Paul Otieno added 12 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 55.6% from the field. Iona grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and dished out 19 assists as a team.
Despite giving up 17 offensive rebounds, Iona’s defense held strong, allowing just 63 points on 35% shooting. The Gaels limited their opponent to 41% from two-point range, with 19 makes on 46 attempts.
Iona’s perimeter defense was effective, as they held their opponent to 25% shooting from beyond the arc, with just 6 made threes on 24 attempts. The Gaels also benefited from poor free-throw shooting, with their opponent hitting only 6 of 15 attempts.