Jackson State vs. UTEP prediction, odds, pick for College Basketball

12/19/2024 05:50 PM

We’re back with another betting prediction and pick for the upcoming slate of College Basketball action as we continue with this next cross-conference meeting. The Jackson State Tigers (0-10) of the SWAC will take on the UTEP Miners (7-3) of C-USA. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Jackson State-UTEP prediction and pick.

The Jackson State Tigers are winless on the season following their most recent 100-58 loss to No. 6 Iowa State. They’ve had to face a myriad of stern competition including No. 9 Kentucky, Xavier, and No. 4 Houston to start their season. They’ll look to reverse trends as the betting underdogs once again.

The UTEP Miners most recently defeated Tarleton State 67-62. While they certainly haven’t faced the same level of opposition as Jackson State, they’ve managed to win close games and keep themselves in the Conference USA conversation as they head into the important part of their schedule.

Here are the Baylor-Gonzaga College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel 

College Basketball Odds: Jackson State-UTEP Odds

Jackson State: +14.5 (-115)

Moneyline: +760

UTEP: -14.5 (-105)

Moneyline: -1300

Over: 140.5 (-115)

Under: 140.5 (-105)

How to Watch Jackson State vs. UTEP

Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT

TV: ESPN+, Regional Coverage

*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*

Why Jackson State Will Cover The Spread/Win

Not much has gone right for Jackson State this season and they’ve been beaten by double-digits in seven of their ten losses. The most this team can get out of their tough schedule is valuable minutes against teams much better than them. Guards Jayme Mitchell Jr. and Dorian McMillian are their only two starters averaging double-digits and as a team, they’re only averaging 61.1 PPG, ranking them only eight spots away from the worst mark in all of college basketball.

This will be a rare occasion where the Tigers have a reasonable opponent in front of them, but they’ll have to remain perfect in their offense and play hard on the defensive end. Junior guard Daeshon Ruffin is averaging 2.5 steals per contest, so he’ll need to step things up on the defensive floor and create turnovers into opportunities for the Tigers. Jackson State is 4-6 ATS this season, so don’t be surprised if they keep this one closer than we expect.

Why UTEP Will Cover The Spread/Win

The UTEP Miners have put together a solid start to the season and this serves as the perfect tune-up game as they begin Conference USA play to start the new year. While they’re averaging a modest 74.7 PPG, the Miners are one of the worst rebounding teams in all of college basketball and are certainly at risk for the upset if they’re unable to grab boards against Jackson State. We can expect some missed shots and broken possessions throughout this game, so UTEP will have to be diligent about securing the ball and avoid letting the Tigers hang around in this one.

The Miners are almost always guaranteed to have less rebounds than their opponents, but they stand a great chance to outpace this Jackson State team if they’re able to hustle. Much of the Miners’ success hinges on their ability to hit the deep ball, so expect them to continue letting it fly in this one as they look for one of their wings to get hot. Ahamad Bynum is leading their team in three-pointers made and shoots at an outstanding 64% clip.

Final Jackson State-UTEP Prediction & Pick

UTEP has gone 5-3 ATS this season and they have yet to drop a home game at 4-0. While they’re 1-1 ATS at home, this serves as a very winnable game in their eyes as they prepare for the difficult part of their schedule. While I expect the Miners to take Jackson State seriously, this should be a situation where the home team rolls to a convincing victory. For our final prediction, let’s roll with UTEP to cover the spread and win at home.

Final Jackson State-UTEP Prediction & Pick: UTEP -14.5 (-105)

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