Santa Clara vs. BYU Betting Preview – Free Pick

Santa Clara (19-8 SU 8-18 ATS) vs. BYU (16-12 SU 10-16 ATS)
When: Thursday, February 16th: 9:00 ET
Where: Marriott Center Provo, UT
TV: CBSS
Point Spread: SCU +4.5/BYU -4.5 (Bet it FREE by using code PREDICT100 when you deposit $100 to $300 at MyBookie Sportsbook! They’ll match you dollar for dollar with a 100% REAL CASH bonus!)
Total: 149.0
Money Line: Santa Clara Broncos +166/BYU Cougars -206

Line Movement

This game hit the board with BYU as a -4.5 favorite and has since climbed to -5.5 under early betting pressure. The total hit the board at 148.5 and has moved up to 149.5 points.

Last Game Info

Santa Clara is coming off a 71-69 win over Loyola Marymount. However, they did not cover the spread in the game as -5.5 point favorites. The combined 140 points did not surpass the 149.5 total line.

BYU lost to Gonzaga in their last game by a score of 88-81. But because the Cougars were +13 point underdogs, they finished with an ATS win. The combined 169 points finished above the 156 total line.

Current Form

Santa Clara
Over their last five games, Santa Clara has a straight-up record of 3-2 while going 1-4 vs. the spread. Over this stretch, the Broncos’ offense averages 78.8 points per game while hitting 46.7% of their shots from the field. On the defensive end of the floor, they have allowed opponents to shoot 46.6% from the field while allowing 79.4 points per contest.

BYU
In their previous five contests, BYU is 2-3 straight-up and 4-1 vs. the spread. In these five games, they have a scoring average of 77.4 points per game on a shooting percentage of 47.5%. Defensively, they allow teams to hit 46.1% of their shots while giving up 72.8 points per game.

Average Power Rating Of Opponents Played

This season, the combined power rating of Santa Clara’s opponents comes in at 79.9. On the other side, BYU’s combined opponent power rating sits at 77.5.

How Does Santa Clara Fare On The Road?

For the season, the Broncos have played seven road games and have a record of 3-4. In these contests, Santa Clara is 3-4 vs. the spread. Offensively, they have averaged 73.9 points per game on a shooting percentage of 42.4%. On defense, the Broncos allow 78.3 points per contest when playing away from home. So far, opposing teams have a field goal percentage of 46.9% in these games.

How Does BYU Fare At Home?

In their 20 games at home, BYU has a 6-12 record vs. the spread while going 14-6 straight-up. On offense, the Cougars are shooting 45.0% on their home floor, leading to 76.8 points per game. Defensively, opponents are shooting 40.4% in these contests. The BYU defense is allowing 68.2 points per game at home.

Offense vs. Defense

For the season, Santa Clara is averaging 78.1 points per game (38th) while posting an overall field goal percentage of 49.0%. In today’s game, they will be matched up against a BYU defense that has allowed an average of 69.8 points per contest. This year, opponents have hit 41.2% of their shots vs. BYU. On the other side, the BYU Cougars are coming into the game averaging 73.7 points per game on a shooting percentage of 45.2%. The Cougars will be facing a defensive unit allowing an average of 72.6 points per contest. So far, teams have hit 43.9% of their shots vs. the Broncos.

Three-Point Shooting

From beyond the arc, Santa Clara has a shooting percentage of 38.8% while ranking 546th in attempts per game. The Broncos will be facing a BYU defense that has a 3-point field goal shooting percentage allowed of 31.8%. BYU enters the game having hit 35.4% of their looks from deep while averaging 7.88 made 3’s per game. On the other end, Santa Clara has allowed opponents to hit 37.2% of their shots from beyond the arc.

Injuries Of Note

Santa Clara

• Giordan Williams (Out) Knee
• Carlos Marshall Jr (Out) Shoulder
• Brenton Knapper (Questionable) Undisclosed
• Jake Ensminger (Out) Elbow

BYU

• Trevin Knell (Out) Shoulder
• Hao Dong (Out) Ankle

Pick Against The Spread

I like total here. Santa Clara, more times than not, puts up 80 or so points and did so in the previous meeting when they hosted BYU. Regarding scoring, the Cougars average just 75.7 in their home games but put up 81 or more in three of their last four. Defensively, they have been quite impressive at home, but they allowed Pepperdine and Gonzaga to score 91 and 74, respectively, and I can see Santa Clara, with their improved play hitting the mid-70s. Take the over. Question! When you bet on games, does your bookie charge you -110 odds on sides and totals? (or more?) Of course he does! Can you imagine how much money you’d have saved over the years if you had been wagering on games at -105 odds instead? Probably THOUSANDS of dollars! Dump your overpriced book and start saving BIG bucks today by making the switch to -105 odds at Betanysports! We’ve advertised them for over 16 years with ZERO complaints! Click here to start saving money today!