Massachusetts Minutemen vs Saint Joseph’s Hawks Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Massachusetts vs Saint Joseph's NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Philadelphia.

Massachusetts vs Saint Joseph's Prediction

Looking to win big? The Minutemen and Hawks face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Hawks are hosting the game at Hagan Arena in Philadelphia, PA. The over/under for this Atlantic 10 conference contest is set at 150.5 points, with Saint Joseph's being favored by -9.5 at home against Massachusetts.

Massachusetts vs. Saint Joseph's Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Massachusetts Minutemen at Saint Joseph's Hawks
Where: Philadelphia at Hagan Arena
Date: Tuesday, December 31st
Betting Odds STJOE -9.5, UMASS +367 | STJOE -500 O/U 150.5

Minutemen Preview: Can the Minutemen Grab a Win in Philadelphia?

Massachusetts fell to 4-8 on the season after a 78-62 home loss to Arizona State on Saturday. The Minutemen were +9.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 140, which was under the O/U line of 151.5.

UMass led 33-31 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring only 29 points while allowing 47 to the Sun Devils.

Minutemen Offense Breakdown

In their recent game, the Minutemen managed just 62 points, shooting 38.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 43.3%. Their two-point shooting was a struggle, hitting only 38.6% (17/44), while they connected on 37.5% (6/16) from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, they shot 55.6% (10/18).

Rahsool Diggins led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three-point range. Basheer Jihad contributed 20 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 66.7% (8/12) overall. Jayden Quaintance also had a strong performance, scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, shooting 57.1% (8/14) from the field.

Minutemen Team Defense

Massachusetts gave up 78 points in their last game, despite holding their opponent to 38% shooting from the field. They limited two-point shots to 38% (17/44) and three-point attempts to 37% (6/16).

The Minutemen sent their opponent to the line 18 times, where they hit 10 free throws (55%). Massachusetts also allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Hawks Preview: Does Saint Joseph's Have What it Takes at Home?

Saint Joseph's Hawks Recent Game/Games

Saint Joseph's improved to 9-4 on the season with a 76-58 home win over Delaware State on Saturday, December 28th. The Hawks were heavy favorites at -20 but didn't cover the spread. The total points for the game were 134, falling short of the O/U line of 148.5.

The Hawks took control early, leading 33-20 at halftime. They scored 43 points in the 2nd half but allowed 38, indicating some defensive lapses after the break.

Hawks Offense Breakdown

Saint Joseph's put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 57.4%, thanks to an impressive 82.6% shooting on two-pointers (19/23). However, they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25.8% (8/31) of their three-point attempts.

They connected on 77.8% of their free throws (14/18) and grabbed 7 offensive rebounds. The Hawks dished out 21 assists, with Derek Simpson leading the way with 9. Kaseem Watson scored 23 points, shooting 55% from the field, while Erik Reynolds II added 22 points, hitting 4 of 13 from deep.

Hawks Team Defense

Saint Joseph's defense gave up 58 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 50% from the field on 27 of 54 attempts. The Hawks allowed 19 two-point baskets on 23 attempts, an 82% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, the opposing team shot 25%, hitting 8 of 31 three-point attempts. They also went to the free-throw line 18 times, making 14 for 77%. Saint Joseph's gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Minutemen vs Hawks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Massachusetts has a straight up record of 1-2 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 62 points per game in these games.
The Hawks are 4-1 ATS in their last home games and 3-2 straight-up.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Minutemen have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
As the betting favorite, the Hawks have an ATS record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 4-1.