Washington State (14-5) vs Portland (6-13)
Game Info: Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 6:00 pm (Beasley Coliseum)
The Line: Betting Odds: Washington State -17.5 — Over/Under: 153.5
The Portland Pilots are visiting the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, January 18th at the Beasley Coliseum. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars Prediction. We will examine:
The Washington State Cougars’ recent form and player performance
The Portland Pilots’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Washington State Cougars
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Portland Pilots
Recent betting trends in games played between Portland Pilots and Washington State Cougars
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars game
Washington State Cougars Preview
The Washington State Cougars have a 14-5 record this season and are sitting in the 6th place in the West Coast. The Cougars are coming off a 65-61 win over San Diego. The Cougars are 12-7 against the spread, and 9-10 in over/under while having a 7-1 home record.
Offensively, Washington State is averaging 81 points per game, which ranks 53rd in the nation. Defensively, they allow 75.2 points per game (281st). The Cougars shoot 49.1% from the field (22nd) and 36.4% from beyond the arc (69th). The Cougars shoot 71.4% from the free-throw line (194th) and are grabbing 36.5 rebounds per game (153rd).
Nate Calmese leads Washington State in scoring with an average of 17 points and a team-high 4.5 assists, while LeJuan Watts adds 13.7 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds.
Portland Pilots Preview
The Portland Pilots have a 6-13 record this season and are sitting in 11th place in the West Coast. They are coming off an 84-81 win over Pacific. The Pilots are 8-9 against the spread, and 9-8 in over/under while having a 1-5 road record.
Offensively, Portland is averaging 70.5 points per game, which ranks 279th in the nation. Defensively, they are allowing 79.3 points per game (339th). The Pilots shoot 43.1% from the field (273rd) and 33.6% from beyond the arc (216th). The Pilots shoot 76.4% from the free throw line (43rd) and are grabbing 34.1 rebounds per game (288th).
Austin Rapp leads Portland in scoring this season, with an average of 13.9 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds, while Max Mackinnon adds 11.1 points and 4.6 rebounds.
Why the Washington State Cougars will win
- Washington State has won each of its last 13 day games at Beasley Coliseum.
- Portland has lost 16 of its last 17 road day games against the West Coast Conference.
- Portland has lost the first half in each of its last eight games against the West Coast Conference.
Why the Portland Pilots will win
- Portland has won each of its last five day games after coming off overtime.
- Washington State has lost the first half in each of its last four games against the West Coast Conference.
Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars Head-to-Head
Washington State has won all five meetings against Portland and is 4-1 against the spread. Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 meetings, and in their most recent meeting last season, U Washington State won 89-73 on the road, covering the spread, as the game went over the point total.
Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars Prediction
In this Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars Prediction, Washington State is coming as a -17.5 home favorites. Washington State is rightfully favored, as they have a far better record, and have been almost perfect at home, while Portland is just 1-5 on the road. the Cougars have a top-60 offense and they are up against the Pilots’ bottom-30 defense and are winning by an average of 5.8 points this season, while the Pilots are losing by 8.8 points. I expect the hosts to take care of business, so take the Washington State Cougars and lay the points at home.