Howard Bison vs UNCW Seahawks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our UNCW vs Howard NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Washington.

UNCW vs Howard Prediction

The Seahawks and Bison are set to face off at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bison will host the game at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, DC. UNCW is the -4.5 point favorites in this non-conference matchup against Howard. The over/under for the game is set at 144.5 points.

UNCW vs. Howard Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UNCW Seahawks at Howard Bison
Where: Washington at Burr Gymnasium
Date: Saturday, December 14th
Betting Odds NCW -4.5, NCW -205 | HOWRD +163 O/U 144.5

Seahawks Preview: Will the Seahawks Win in Washington?

UNCW improved to 6-2 on the season with a 78-69 win over Marshall on Saturday. Playing at home, the Seahawks entered the game as -6.5 favorites and covered the spread with the victory.

UNCW led 44-34 at halftime and scored 34 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. The game’s total points of 147 narrowly missed the O/U line of 147.5.

Seahawks Offense Breakdown

In their recent game, UNCW put up 78 points, shooting 47.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.9%, with a strong 57.9% from two-point range, but just 23.5% from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of 17 attempts.

At the free-throw line, the Seahawks connected on 22 of 27 shots for an 81.5% success rate. They also dished out 15 assists and grabbed 8 offensive rebounds. Donovan Newby led the team with 18 points, while Sean Moore added 14 points and 16 rebounds, hitting 2 of 3 from three-point range.

Seahawks Team Defense

UNCW's defense gave up 69 points in their last game, allowing the opponent to shoot 47% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, with the opponent hitting 57% of their two-point attempts (22/38).

From beyond the arc, UNCW held the opponent to just 23% shooting, as they made only 4 of 17 three-point attempts. The opponent also went to the free-throw line 27 times, converting 22 of those for 81%. UNCW gave up 8 offensive rebounds.

Bison Preview: Will the Howard Defense Show Up at Home?

Howard Bison Recent Game/Games

Howard dropped to 2-6 on the season after an 84-67 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. The Bison were heavy +28.5 underdogs going into the game but managed to keep it closer than expected.

Howard trailed 36-32 at halftime but couldn’t keep up in the 2nd half, allowing 48 points while scoring 35. The total points for the game reached 151, exceeding the O/U line of 141.

Bison Offense Breakdown

Howard's offense put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.7%. They hit 55.6% of their two-point attempts and went 6-for-18 from three-point range, shooting 33.3% from deep. At the free-throw line, they were perfect, hitting all 9 of their attempts.

Blake Harper led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field despite missing all 3 of his three-point attempts. Simas Lukosius added 18 points, hitting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc and shooting 70% overall. Aziz Bandaogo was efficient as well, shooting 80% from the field and finishing with 17 points and 6 rebounds.

Bison Team Defense

Howard's defense struggled, giving up 84 points on 53% shooting from the field. They allowed 63% shooting on two-point attempts, with the opposing team hitting 26 of 41 shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Howard's opponents shot 34%, making 8 of 23 attempts. Howard also sent them to the free-throw line 13 times, where they converted 8 free throws. Howard gave up 14 offensive rebounds.

Seahawks vs Bison Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

UNCW has played well in their previous 5 road games, going 3-2 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 80 points per game while allowing 78. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Howard has a 1-4 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 70 points per game while allowing 85. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bison have a straight up record of 4-6 and an ATS mark of 6-3-1.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Seahawks have a strong straight up record of 4-1. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.