Portland Pilots vs Washington State Cougars Matchup

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

Portland vs Washington State Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Pilots versus the Cougars? Tip off is at at 6:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Friel Court in Pullman, WA. The over/under for this game is set at 153.5 points, and Washington State is favored by -16.5 against Portland in a non-conference matchup.

Portland vs. Washington State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Portland Pilots at Washington State Cougars
Where: Pullman at Friel Court
Date: Saturday, January 18th
Betting Odds WASHST -16.5, PORT +1160 | WASHST -2800 O/U 153.5

Pilots Preview: Is a Road Win Possible for Portland?

Portland Pilots Recent Game/Games

Portland improved to 4-13 on the season with an 84-81 win over Pacific on Thursday. The Pilots were -4 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 165 exceeded the O/U line of 147.5.

Portland trailed 40-35 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 38-33 to secure the win.

Pilots Offense Breakdown

The Pilots put up 84 points in their latest game, shooting 45% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They hit 9 of 27 from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3%, and were strong from the free-throw line, knocking down 21 of 25 attempts for 84%.

Elias Ralph led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 50% from both the field and three-point range. Bol Dengdit added 21 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 72.7% of his shots. Lamar Washington dished out 12 assists and grabbed 9 boards, contributing 14 points.

Pilots Team Defense

Despite Portland's defensive efforts, they allowed 81 points on 45% shooting from the field. The opposing team shot 54% on two-pointers, hitting 18 of 33 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Portland's defense gave up 9 threes on 27 attempts, a 33% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the line 25 times, where they converted 21 free throws, an 84% success rate.

Cougars Preview: Will the Cougars Live Up to Expectations at Home?

Washington State Cougars Recent Game/Games

Washington State improved to 14-5 on the season with a 65-61 road win over San Diego on Thursday. The Cougars were -12.5 favorites going into the game, but they didn’t cover the spread.

After trailing 27-25 at halftime, Washington State scored 40 points in the second half while allowing 34. The total points for the game were 126, well under the O/U line of 153.5.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

Washington State put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 42.2% from the field and 30.4% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 23 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.9%, and they connected on 54.5% of their two-point shots, going 12 for 22 inside the arc.

Nate Calmese led the way with 27 points, shooting 52.9% overall and 37.5% from three. Santiago Trouet added 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Dane Erikstrup contributed 10 boards and hit 3 threes at a 42.9% rate. The Cougars also made 20 of 26 free throws, shooting 76.9% from the line.

Cougars Team Defense

Washington State's defense held their opponent to 61 points on 36% shooting from the field in their previous game. They limited two-point attempts to 16/40, a 40% success rate.

From beyond the arc, their opponent shot 6/21, or 28%. Washington State also sent them to the free-throw line 18 times, where they made 11, shooting 61%.

Pilots vs Cougars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Pilots have a straight up record of 1-9 while going 6-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 64 points per game in this stretch.
In their last three home games, Washington State has averaged 76 points per game while allowing 74. The team's record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Pilots have a strong record vs the spread going 3-2. Their straight up mark in these contests is 0-5.
Although the Cougars have a strong straight up record in their last three games as the betting favorite, they have not done as well vs the spread going 1-2.