Bethune-Cookman Wildcats vs Mississippi State Bulldogs Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Bethune-Cookman vs Mississippi State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Starkville.

Bethune-Cookman vs Mississippi State Prediction

Looking to win big? The Wildcats and Bulldogs face off at 9:00 ET on SECN. The Bulldogs are hosting the game at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, MS. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 145.5 points, with Mississippi State being favored by -29.5 over Bethune-Cookman.

Bethune-Cookman vs. Mississippi State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats at Mississippi State Bulldogs
Where: Starkville at Humphrey Coliseum
Date: Monday, December 30th
Betting Odds MSPST -29.5, BCOOK +4500 | MSPST -20000 O/U 145.5

Wildcats Preview: Will the Wildcats Win on the Road?

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Recent Game/Games

Bethune-Cookman fell to 3-9 on the season after a 76-63 road loss to Davidson on Saturday, December 21st. Entering the game as +14 point underdogs, the Wildcats managed to keep the game closer than expected, covering the spread. The total points for the game were 139, just under the O/U line of 143.5.

Bethune-Cookman trailed 41-34 at halftime and scored 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. Though they kept the game closer than anticipated, the Wildcats couldn’t close the gap in the 2nd half.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Bethune-Cookman's offense struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 4 of 18 threes for a 22.2% shooting percentage. Overall, they shot 40.4% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 44.2%. They also connected on 50% of their two-point attempts, going 17 for 34 inside the arc.

At the free-throw line, the Wildcats shot 63%, making 17 of 27 attempts. They recorded 7 offensive rebounds and 6 assists in the game. Bobby Durkin led the team with 23 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 6 of 12 from three-point range.

Wildcats Team Defense

Despite Bethune-Cookman allowing 76 points, the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize on the defensive end, as they gave up 52% shooting from the field. Their opponents were effective inside, hitting 56% of their two-point attempts.

The Wildcats also struggled to contain the three-point line, with their opponents knocking down 47% of their threes. Bethune-Cookman sent them to the line 19 times, where they converted 68% of their free throws.

Bulldogs Preview: Does Mississippi State Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Mississippi State improved to 11-1 on the season with a 79-66 road win over Memphis on Saturday. The Bulldogs entered the game as 2-point favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 145 fell short of the 150.5 O/U line.

Mississippi State took control early, leading 48-32 at halftime. Though they allowed 34 points in the 2nd half, they managed to hold Memphis in check, scoring 31 points themselves to close out the win.

Bulldogs Offense Breakdown

Mississippi State put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 44.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.4%. They connected on 10 of 27 three-point attempts, hitting 37% from beyond the arc, and went 7 for 10 from the free-throw line.

PJ Haggerty led the Bulldogs with 24 points, shooting 53.8% overall, while Tyrese Hunter and Riley Kugel each added 19 points. Hunter hit 4 threes at a 44.4% clip, and Kugel shot 61.5% from the field. Cameron Matthews contributed 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, and KeShawn Murphy also grabbed 9 boards.

Bulldogs Team Defense

Mississippi State's defense held their opponent to 66 points on 35% shooting from the field, including 42% from two-point range. They also limited three-point shooting to 8/27, or 29%.

At the free-throw line, their opponent shot 76%, making 20 of 26 attempts. Mississippi State allowed 11 offensive rebounds in the game.

Wildcats vs Bulldogs Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Bethune-Cookman has a 1-4 record in their last five road games. In this stretch, they averaged 60 points per game while allowing 73. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-1-1.
The Bulldogs are 2-1 ATS in their last three home games and 3-0 straight-up.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Wildcats have gone 3-1-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Bulldogs have a straight up record of 9-1. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.