Grambling State Tigers vs Pepperdine Waves Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Grambling State vs Pepperdine NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Malibu.

Grambling State vs Pepperdine Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Tigers versus the Waves? Tip off is at at 5:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, CA. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Pepperdine as the -3 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 138 points.

Grambling State vs. Pepperdine Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Grambling State Tigers at Pepperdine Waves
Where: Malibu at Firestone Fieldhouse
Date: Saturday, December 7th
Betting Odds PEPP -3, GRMBST +128 | PEPP -155 O/U 138

Tigers Preview: Will Grambling State Make it Happen on the Road?

Grambling State Tigers Recent Game/Games

Grambling State fell to 0-5 on the season after a narrow 82-79 loss to Cal Poly on Tuesday. The Tigers were +5.5 underdogs going into the game and managed to cover the spread. The combined points of 161 exceeded the over/under line of 150.5.

After trailing 44-33 at halftime, Grambling State outscored Cal Poly 46-38 in the second half but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Grambling State's offense put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field and 50% from three-point range, hitting 13 of 26 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.1%, and they struggled at the free-throw line, making just 8 of 14 attempts (57.1%).

Chilaydrien Newton and Owen Koonce both shot 75% from the field, with Newton hitting 5 of 6 threes, while Ernest Ross also went 6 for 8, making both of his three-point attempts. Antwan Burnett led the team with 21 points, shooting 3 of 6 from deep.

Tigers Team Defense

Grambling State struggled defensively, giving up 82 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 23 of 41 two-point attempts, a 56% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Grambling State's defense conceded 9 threes on 22 attempts, with their opponent shooting 40%. They also sent them to the line 12 times, where they made 9 free throws, a 75% clip.

Waves Preview: Will Pepperdine Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?

Pepperdine Waves Recent Game/Games

Pepperdine fell to 2-6 on the season after a 68-53 home loss to Weber State on Saturday. The Waves entered the game as +4 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 121, falling short of the 140.5 O/U line.

Pepperdine trailed 33-23 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 30 points while allowing 35. The Waves will look to bounce back as they continue their season.

Waves Offense Breakdown

Pepperdine's offense struggled in their last game, managing just 53 points on 32.7% shooting from the field. They connected on only 28.6% of their threes (4/14) and 34.2% of their two-point attempts (13/38), resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 36.5%.

At the free-throw line, the Waves shot 62.5% (15/24), and they grabbed 9 offensive rebounds while dishing out 10 assists. Miguel Tomley was a bright spot, hitting 6 of 7 from beyond the arc and finishing with 28 points on 58.3% shooting overall.

Waves Team Defense

Pepperdine's defense held strong, limiting their opponent to just 68 points on 32% shooting from the field. They were especially effective inside the arc, where they allowed only 13 of 38 two-point attempts to fall, a 34% conversion rate.

From beyond the three-point line, Pepperdine's defense gave up just 4 made threes on 14 attempts, holding their opponent to 28% shooting. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 24 times, where they converted 15, shooting 62%.

Tigers vs Waves Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road games, Grambling State has an ATS record of just 7-3. However, their overall record was 3-7 while averaging 69 points per game.
Through their last five home contests, the Waves offense has averaged 59 points per game while allowing an average of 75. Pepperdine posted an overall record of 0-5 while going 0-5 ATS.
Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Grambling State has an ATS mark of 3-0 while going 0-3 straight up.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Waves have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.