Wichita State (1-0) vs Montana State (0-1)
November 9, 2024 at 07:00 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Wichita State -12 / Montana State +12 — Over/Under: 153
The Montana State Bobcats and the Wichita State Shockers meet Saturday in college basketball action from Charles Koch Arena. Here’s a Montana State vs Wichita State prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Montana State vs Wichita State pick. We will examine:
The Montana State Bobcats’ recent form and player performance
The Wichita State Shockers’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Montana State Bobcats
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Wichita State Shockers
Recent betting trends in games played between Montana State and Wichita State
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Montana State vs Wichita State game
Montana State Bobcats Betting Preview
The Bobcats are coming off a 17-18 overall run last year with a 9-9 record in the Big Sky. Montana State finished fifth in the standings but made the national tournament with a Big Sky Tournament championship. The Bobcats fell in the First Four game to Grambling State, though.
Montana State had their hands full versus Wisconsin in their 2024-25 opener. The Bobcats gave up 39 points in the first half and 40 in the second for a 79-67 loss. Brian Goracke was tops in scoring with 14 points, and Max Agbonkpolo added 13 points.
Wichita State Shockers Betting Preview
Over on the Wichita State side, they posted a forgettable 15-19 record with a 5-13 run in the AAC last year. The Shockers finished ahead of only Rice and UTSA in the standings. Their final game was a quarterfinal loss to UAB in the AAC Tournament.
Matched up against Western Kentucky in their opener, the Shockers held a 43-38 halftime edge. Wichita State managed to fend off the Hilltoppers from there in a 91-84 win. Justin Hill led the team with 31 points, eight boards, and six assists.
Why the Wichita State Shockers will win
- Wichita State has won each of its last nine games against non-conference opponents at Charles Koch Arena.
- Montana State has lost each of its last seven Saturday games.
Why the Montana State Bobcats will win
- Wichita State has lost four of its last five night games at Charles Koch Arena following a road win.
- Montana State has won seven of its last nine away games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
Montana State vs Wichita State Prediction
I’ll lean toward Wichita State. The Shockers played pretty well versus WKU in their opener—outside of the 14 turnovers, that is. Wichita State shot 44.3 percent from the field with 42 rebounds and 17 team assists, but did get outmuscled on the offensive glass 14-10.
As for Montana State, they had a tricky opener matchup versus Wisconsin and eventually got out-rebounded 32-27. The Bobcats shot pretty well overall though, so this one could be a fairly high-scoring affair also. In the end, I like Wichita State to cover at home, though.