Samford Bulldogs vs Western Carolina Catamounts Matchup

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

Samford vs Western Carolina Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bulldogs and Catamounts. The game is starting at 3:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Catamounts at Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, NC. Get ready to place your bets! Samford is favored by -12.5 in this Southern conference contest against Western Carolina. The game's over/under currently sits at 160.5 points.

Samford vs. Western Carolina Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Samford Bulldogs at Western Carolina Catamounts
Where: Cullowhee at Ramsey Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds SAMF -12.5, SAMF -775 | WCAR +537 O/U 160.5

Bulldogs Preview: Are the Bulldogs Ready for a Road Win?

Samford Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Samford improved to 9-3 on the season with an 86-56 home win over Citadel on Wednesday. The Bulldogs were -20.5 favorites going into the game and covered the spread with the 30-point victory.

Samford led 41-27 at halftime and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, scoring 45 points while holding Citadel to 29. The total points for the game were 142, falling short of the 154.5 O/U line.

Bulldogs Offense Breakdown

Samford's offense put up 86 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field. They connected on 18 of 41 three-point attempts, hitting at a 43.9% clip, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 61.3%.

Rylan Jones hit 6 of 9 threes, finishing with 18 points and 6 assists. Trey Fort added 19 points, hitting 5 of 10 from beyond the arc.

Bulldogs Team Defense

Samford's defense gave up 56 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 46% from the field on 29 of 62 attempts. From two-point range, the opposing team hit 11 of 21 shots, good for 52%.

From beyond the arc, Samford's opponents connected on 18 of 41 three-point attempts, shooting 43%. They also went 10 of 13 from the free-throw line, hitting 76% of their foul shots. Samford allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Catamounts Preview: Will Western Carolina Find a Way to Win at Home?

Western Carolina Catamounts Recent Game/Games

Western Carolina dropped to 1-8 on the season after a 90-61 home loss to Furman on Wednesday. The Catamounts were +9.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 43-23 at halftime, Western Carolina allowed 47 points in the second half while scoring 38. The game’s total points of 151 exceeded the O/U line of 145.5.

Catamounts Offense Breakdown

Western Carolina's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 33.9% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 39.3%, but they did hit 81% of their free throws, going 17-for-21 from the line.

Nick Anderson led the way with 20 points, shooting 4-for-5 from three-point range. Charles Johnston and Bernard Pelote each added 17 points, with Pelote also grabbing 12 rebounds. The Catamounts finished with 9 offensive rebounds and 9 assists as a team.

Catamounts Team Defense

Despite Western Carolina's strong defensive effort, they couldn't keep the other team from scoring 90 points. The Catamounts held their opponent to just 33% shooting from the field, with 19 made field goals on 56 attempts.

Western Carolina limited the damage from beyond the arc, as their opponent shot just 24% from three, hitting 6 of 25 attempts. However, the other team took advantage at the free-throw line, making 17 of 21 for 81%.

Bulldogs vs Catamounts Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Samford has an ATS record of 0-3 while averaging 83 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
In their last ten games at home, the Catamounts have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 4-6 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 63 points per game in these contests.
As the betting underdog, the Catamounts have an ATS mark of just 1-4 in their last five games. Western Carolina posted a straight up mark of 0-5 in these matchups.
As the betting favorite, the Bulldogs have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.