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Saint Joseph’s heads to Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis for an Atlantic 10 matchup on Wednesday, December 31, with tip set for 4:00 PM ET on ESPN+. This is a big number for a conference game. Saint Louis is laying 20.5 with a -5000 moneyline, while Saint Joseph’s is priced like a live dog only in the “backdoor cover” sense at +1650.
The matchup angle is pretty clear: Saint Louis wants to overwhelm you with pace, boards, and clean looks, and they’ve been doing it to almost everyone at home (10-1). Saint Joseph’s has some traits that can keep them hanging around, especially rebounding (41.7 per game) and decent free throw shooting (77.1%), but they also need this to stay organized for 40 minutes in a tough building.
Saint Joseph’s Hawks vs Saint Louis Billikens Odds
These are the current betting lines. Monitor the market for any late movement and always check the latest college basketball odds before you lock anything in.
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| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Joseph’s Hawks | +1650 | +20.5 (-110) | O 156.5 |
| Saint Louis Billikens | -5000 | -20.5 (-110) | U 156.5 |
Saint Joseph’s Hawks Betting Form
Saint Joseph’s comes in off an 87-65 win over Arcadia, and the offense showed real pop with Jaiden Glover-Toscano dropping 29. The profile that matters for covering a number like this is simple: can they avoid empty trips and keep generating shots. They rebound well and they get points at the stripe, which helps them survive cold stretches when the game gets physical.
The concern is that a big favorite at home can turn this into a compounding problem. If Saint Joseph’s starts trading tough twos for Saint Louis transition runouts, the game can get away fast. If they’re going to cover, it probably looks like slower possessions, getting to the line, and keeping the game out of the “track meet plus offensive rebounds” script.
For matchup context, you can track recent results and splits on the Saint Joseph’s Hawks team page.
Saint Joseph’s injury report:
| Player | Pos | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Solano | C | Questionable | Knee |
| W. Lange | G-F | Questionable | Shoulder |
| O. Verna | G | Questionable | Hip |
Saint Louis Billikens Betting Form
Saint Louis is built like a bully at this level right now. They just blasted Principia 114-33, and even if you discount the opponent, the key point is their ability to separate early and keep separating. Their scoring volume is massive (94.5 points per game), they clean the glass (45.6 rebounds per game), and when they’re hitting shots, the spread becomes more about whether the underdog can score enough to keep the margin reasonable.
The betting risk with huge favorites is always pace and bench minutes. Sometimes the backdoor is wide open late. But Saint Louis is also the type that can cover these numbers without needing perfect shooting, because extra possessions from rebounding and pressure create easy points. If they control the paint and the glass, the cover math gets a lot easier.
For trends, recent box scores, and home/road splits, use the Saint Louis Billikens team page.
Saint Louis injury report:
| Player | Pos | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. McCottry | G | Questionable | Illness |
| K. Anya | F | Out | Redshirt (out for season) |
Saint Joseph’s Hawks vs Saint Louis Billikens Matchup Breakdown
The first thing I’m looking at is whether Saint Joseph’s rebounding can actually travel here. They rebound at a high national level, and that’s usually the one lever an underdog can pull to shorten the game and survive runs. The problem is Saint Louis is elite on the glass too, and when they’re winning the rebound battle, it often turns into repeat looks and early foul pressure on the other side.
The second piece is free throws. Saint Joseph’s shoots it well at the line, which is useful in any underdog script because it keeps points on the board even when the offense isn’t clean. But it can also push the tempo the wrong way if they’re trading twos and free throws for Saint Louis threes, runouts, and second-chance points.
If you’re taking the dog, you’re basically betting on three things holding: ball security, rebounding staying close to even, and Saint Louis cooling off just enough that this doesn’t become a 12-0 run every time the Hawks miss two shots in a row.
Saint Joseph’s Hawks vs Saint Louis Billikens Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is Saint Joseph’s +20.5, mostly because this number is massive for conference play and the Hawks have two traits that keep games from totally collapsing: they rebound and they can convert at the stripe. That’s the classic “lose by 12-18 but never fully die” profile, assuming they don’t get buried in turnover-to-transition points.
On the total, I’m more cautious. The posted 156.5 is high, but Saint Louis has been putting up video-game scores, and big spreads can mess with totals because you can get fast pace early plus late fouling or bench defense that isn’t as connected. Still, if Saint Joseph’s plays it slower and tries to grind possessions, the under is live.
Best Bet: Saint Joseph’s Hawks +20.5 (-110).
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re betting college hoops daily, the edge is less about one game and more about consistently finding numbers that are off by a bucket or two. That’s why today’s college basketball picks matter. You can compare different reads on the same market and avoid forcing action when the price is already sharp.
If you want to follow proven track records, start with the top sports handicappers page, then verify current form on the handicapper leaderboard. And if you’re looking for packaged plays for this slate, you can browse options to buy expert picks.
