High Point vs Gardner-Webb 12/31/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs and the High Point Panthers meet Saturday in college basketball action from Qubein Center. Gardner-Webb is fresh off a Thursday matchup versus Charleston Southern. In that one the Bulldogs took a 20-point victory. As for High Point, they played Longwood in their Thursday game. The Panthers lost that matchup by 14 points. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place.

Gardner-Webb went just 1-5 over their first six games this year, taking a lone win over NC A&T. The Bulldogs hit a 4-2 stretch in their next six with wins over Western Carolina, Piedmont International, NC Central and Bob Jones. 

In the Charleston Southern matchup on Thursday, the Bulldogs didn’t have much trouble. Gardner-Webb scored 50 points in the first half and cruised to an 83-63 win. Caleb Robinson managed a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in the victory. 

Over on the High Point side, they were 5-1 in their first six games, losing to only UNLV on November 18. The Panthers hit a 3-3 stretch in the next six, losing to Queens NC, UNCW and East Carolina along the way. 

Matched up against Longwood on Thursday, the Panthers were down by 12 points at halftime. High Point fell behind even further in the second half and lost 87-73. Zach Austin was the leading scorer on 18 points and three rebounds. 

PICK: I’ll lean Gardner-Webb here. The Bulldogs are on a nice run over this four-game win streak—even if they haven’t exactly faced top-shelf competition in that stretch. Gardner-Webb has managed 72 points or more in all four games and should score pretty well here also. As for High Point, they’re struggling on a four-game losing streak right now, giving up 85 or more points in three of those outings. If that trend holds I think Gardner-Webb can manage a cover/win.