Lafayette Leopards vs Portland Pilots Matchup

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

Lafayette vs Portland Prediction

The Leopards and Pilots are set to face off at 4:00 ET on ESPN+. The Pilots will host the game at Chiles Center in Portland, OR. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 141.5 points, with Portland being favored by -3.5 over Lafayette.

Lafayette vs. Portland Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Lafayette Leopards at Portland Pilots
Where: Portland at Chiles Center
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds PORT -3.5, LAFAY +150 | PORT -180 O/U 141.5

Leopards Preview: Is an Upset Waiting to Happen on the Road?

Lafayette Leopards Recent Game/Games

Lafayette's season record fell to 4-6 after an 82-62 road loss to George Washington on Wednesday. The Leopards entered the game as +12.5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 36-24 at halftime, Lafayette scored 38 points in the 2nd half but allowed 46. The game’s total points of 144 exceeded the O/U line of 141.5.

Leopards Offense Breakdown

In their recent game, the Leopards managed just 62 points, shooting 42.4% from the field and 27.3% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.5%, and they struggled at the free-throw line, hitting only 54.5% of their attempts.

Gerald Drumgoole Jr. led the way with 30 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 54.5% from three. Alex Chaikin added 19 points, connecting on 50% of his threes, while Andrew Phillips contributed 13 points despite shooting 20% from deep.

Leopards Team Defense

Despite Lafayette's defensive struggles, they managed to put up 82 points in their last game. The Leopards shot 49% from the field, hitting 29 of their 59 attempts. They were particularly effective inside the arc, converting 67% of their two-point shots (21/31).

From beyond the arc, Lafayette went 8/28, shooting 28% on threes. They were efficient from the free-throw line, making 16 of 17 attempts (94%). However, they gave up 16 offensive rebounds.

Pilots Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored Portland?

Portland's season struggles continued with an 81-64 loss to Bakersfield on Wednesday, dropping their record to 2-8. The Pilots were -1 favorites at home but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 46-35 at halftime, Portland couldn't mount a comeback, scoring just 29 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35. The game’s total points of 145 exceeded the O/U line of 140.5.

Pilots Offense Breakdown

Portland's offense put up 64 points in their last game, shooting 44.2% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc, hitting 9 threes on 24 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 53.8%, and they connected on 84.6% of their free throws, going 11-for-13 from the line.

CJ Hardy led the way with 22 points, hitting 4-of-6 from deep, while Austin Rapp added 21 points, knocking down 6-of-10 from three. Jemel Jones and Max Mackinnon were both perfect from long range, with Jones going 3-for-3 and Mackinnon hitting his only attempt.

Pilots Team Defense

Portland's defense gave up 81 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 44% from the field on 23 of 52 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 14 two-point baskets on 28 tries, a 50% conversion rate.

From three-point range, Portland's opponents hit 9 of 24 shots, shooting 37%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 13 times, where they made 11, an 84% success rate. The Pilots gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Leopards vs Pilots Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Leopards last ten road games, the team averaged 67 points per game while allowing 75. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 5-5, while going 2-8 straight-up.
When looking at their past ten home matchups, Portland has an ATS record of 4-6 while averaging 63 per game. The team went 2-8 overall in these games.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Lafayette has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 2-8 straight up.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the favorite, the Pilots have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.