Central Michigan vs South Alabama Prediction College Basketball Picks 11/4/24

The South Alabama Jaguars are hosting the Central Michigan Chippewas on Monday, November 4th at the Mitchell Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Central Michigan Chippewas vs South Alabama Jaguars Prediction.

South Alabama Jaguars Preview

The South Alabama Jaguars enter the new season with hopes of improving on their 16-16 record, finishing 8th in the Sun Belt Conference with an 8-10 mark. Jaguars were 12-15-2 against the spread and 15-13 in over/under. South Alabama was solid at home with a 11-6 record and were 8-6 ATS. They struggled on the road going for just 5-10. 

Offensively, the Jaguars averaged 74.0 ppg, ranking them 177th nationally, while they allowed 75.7 ppg defensively, placing them just 328th. They shot 44.3% from the field (159th) and 34.5% from beyond the arc (231st). Jaguars were very effective from the free-throw line, as they converted 75.0% of their attempts (62nd).

The experienced junior guard Josh Ajayi led the team with 15.6 points per game, while also contributing 7.1 rebounds. The sophomore Michael Flowers added 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Central Michigan Chippewas Preview

The Central Michigan Chippewas enter the season with a record of 18-14, finishing 4th in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with a solid 12-6 mark. The Chippewas were 16-14 ATS and 12-18 in over/under. They performed well at home with an 11-5 record but struggled on the road, going just 7-9 and 8-8 ATS.

Offensively, Central Michigan averaged 66.5 ppg, ranking them 331st nationally, while their defense allowed 70.1 points per game, placing them 116th. The Chippewas shot 42.0% from the field (290th) and 30.3% from beyond the arc (308th). From the free-throw line they converted just 66.0% of their attempts (341st).

Junior guard Anthony Pritchard led the team with 12.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, along with 4.7 assists. Senior guard Brian Taylor added 11.4 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds per game.

South Alabama Jaguars Trends

• South Alabama has won each of its last six home games against non-Conference opponents.
• South Alabama has won the first half in each of its last seven home games against non-Conference opponents.

Central Michigan Chippewas Trends

• Central Michigan has won four of its last five night games.
• Central Michigan has won the first half in each of its last four games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Eighteen of South Alabama’s last 19 games have produced a total of 140+ points.
• Five of Central Michigan’s last six night games have produced a total of 132 or fewer points.

Matchup/League Facts

• South Alabama ranked 42nd among Division 1 teams for opponent free throw percentage last season (69.2%).
• Central Michigan ranked 29th among Division 1 teams for opponent field goal percentage last season (40.9%).
• Central Michigan ranked 41st among Division 1 teams for opponent three-point percentage last season (31.3%).

Central Michigan Chippewas South Alabama Jaguars Prediction

In this Central Michigan Chippewas vs South Alabama Jaguars Prediction, South Alabama comes as a -5 favorite and rightfully so. The Jags are projected as #248 in the nation, while Central Michigan #273. In their previous meeting back in 2010, the Jaguars won on the road with an 82-76 score. South Alabama comes with a solid home record and a strong offensive approach. On the other hand, Central Michigan needs to improve on their struggling offense and horrendous shooting percentages. Until they do so, I’m not going to lay any points with them. Take the South Alabama Jaguars to win and cover at home.

Nikos Lagouretos's Pick: South Alabama Jaguars -5.5