Sam Houston vs Santa Clara NIT Game Prediction and Odds 3/15

Photo Credit: © Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Sam Houston Bearkats and Santa Clara Broncos are set to face off in the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday, in a game that promises to be an exciting clash of styles. Sam Houston has been a strong team all season, posting a 25-7 record and finishing second in the Western Athletic Conference. Santa Clara, meanwhile, is the leader of the West Coast Conference and has a 23-9 record overall. In this article, we will take a closer look at both teams and provide our prediction for the outcome of the game.

Sam Houston Bearkats

The Bearkats have been one of the best teams in the Western Athletic Conference this season, finishing with a 14-4 record in conference play. They have been particularly strong defensively, allowing just 64.8 points per game, which ranks 46th in the country. Offensively, they have been led by Qua Grant, who is averaging 14.0 points per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Donte Powers has also been a key contributor, averaging 12.1 points per game over the last 10 games.

Santa Clara Broncos

Santa Clara has had an impressive season, finishing with a 23-9 record overall and an 11-5 record in the West Coast Conference. They have been particularly strong on the defensive end, allowing just 66.2 points per game, which ranks 76th in the country. Brandin Podziemski has been a standout player for the Broncos, averaging 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Carlos Stewart has also been a key contributor, averaging 15.4 points per game over the last 10 games.

Betting Trends:

According to OddsShark, Santa Clara is currently listed as a 2.5-point favorite in this game. The total is set at 136.5 points. The Broncos are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as a favorite and 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 games overall. The Bearkats are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as an underdog and 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games overall.

Public Betting Data:

As of this writing, 51% of the bets are on Santa Clara to cover the spread. 68% of the bets are on the over.

Odds:

Santa Clara is currently listed as a 2.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 136.5 points.

Injuries:

There are no notable injuries for either team heading into this game.

Prediction:

This game promises to be a close one, as both teams are strong defensively and have several key players who can score. However, we give the edge to Santa Clara, who has been playing well recently and has a slight edge on the defensive end. We predict that Santa Clara will win this game by a score of 71-65.

Pick: Santa Clara (-2.5)