Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs Florida A&M Rattlers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Bethune-Cookman vs Florida A&M NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Tallahassee.

Bethune-Cookman vs Florida A&M Prediction

Looking to win big? The Wildcats and Rattlers face off at 6:00 ET on SWAC. The Rattlers are hosting the game at Al Lawson Center in Tallahassee, FL. Bethune-Cookman is favored by -4.5 in this Southwestern Athletic conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 139.5 points.

Bethune-Cookman vs. Florida A&M Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Florida A&M Rattlers
Where: Tallahassee at Al Lawson Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds BCOOK -4.5, BCOOK -229 | FLAM +174 O/U 139.5

Wildcats Preview: Can Bethune-Cookman Live Up to the Hype on the Road?

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Bethune-Cookman dropped to 3-10 on the season following an 87-73 road loss to Mississippi State on Monday, December 30th. The Wildcats entered the game as +28.5 point underdogs but managed to keep the game closer than expected.

After trailing 52-45 at halftime, Bethune-Cookman scored 28 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. The game’s total points reached 160, surpassing the O/U line of 145.5.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Bethune-Cookman's offense put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.8%, with a two-point shooting percentage of 56.8% and a three-point percentage of 33.3% (5/15). They also hit 66.7% of their free throws, going 16/24 from the line.

Riley Kugel led the way with 22 points, shooting 76.9% from the field and 50% from three-point range. Trey Thomas and Brayon Freeman each added 21 points, with Freeman playing 39 minutes. Reggie Ward Jr. contributed 14 points and 14 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field and hitting 1 of 2 from beyond the arc.

Wildcats Team Defense

Despite giving up 87 points, Bethune-Cookman’s defense struggled to contain their opponent, who shot 50% from the field. They allowed 31 made field goals on 61 attempts.

Inside the arc, the Wildcats gave up 23 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 63% success rate. From three-point range, their opponent hit 8 of 25 shots, or 32%. Bethune-Cookman also sent their opponent to the line 24 times, where they converted 17 free throws (70%).

Rattlers Preview: Will the Florida A&M Defense Show Up at Home?

Florida A&M's season struggles continued with a 70-60 loss to Tarleton State on Sunday, dropping their record to 1-8. The Rattlers, who were +9 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 130 fell just short of the 133.5 over/under line.

After trailing 39-26 at halftime, Florida A&M showed some fight in the second half, outscoring Tarleton State 34-31, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.

Rattlers Offense Breakdown

Keitenn Bristow's efficient 23-point performance on 9-of-14 shooting, including 2-for-2 from deep, was a standout for Florida A&M in their last game. Bubu Benjamin added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Sterling Young contributed 16 points, hitting 2-of-4 from three.

The Rattlers shot 40.4% from the field, with a 31.6% mark from beyond the arc. They made 16-of-21 free throws (76.2%) and finished with 12 assists and 6 offensive rebounds.

Rattlers Team Defense

Florida A&M's defense gave up 70 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field. They allowed 21 two-point field goals on 51 attempts, also at a 41% rate.

From beyond the arc, the Rattlers' defense conceded 4 threes on 9 attempts, a 44% shooting percentage. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 24 times, where they made 16, shooting 66%. Florida A&M allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Wildcats vs Rattlers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, Bethune-Cookman has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 63 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
In their last ten games at home, the Rattlers have a straight up record of 0-10 while going 6-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 59 points per game in this stretch.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Rattlers have gone 7-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-9.
The last ten games that Bethune-Cookman was favored, they have an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 7-3 straight up.