NJIT (1-7) vs. UMass (2-5)
December 1, 2024 12:00 pm EDT
The Line: UMass -16.5; Over/Under: +139
(Get latest betting odds)
The NJIT Highlanders and UMass Minutemen meet Sunday in college basketball action at the Mullins Center. Here’s a UMass vs NJIT Prediction. This article will include a UMass vs NJIT Pick.
NJIT Highlanders Betting Preview
The NJIT Highlanders lost to Cleveland State, beat Morehead State, and they play Seton Hall, Navy, and Delaware State next. The NJIT Highlanders are averaging 61.3 points on 39.4 percent shooting and allowing 73.5 points on 45.2 percent shooting. Tariq Francis is averaging 19.1 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Sebastian Robinson is averaging 11.5 points and 2.3 assists. Tim Moore Jr. is grabbing 5.3 rebounds and Jake Goldberg is dishing 0.4 assists. The NJIT Highlanders are shooting 2.6 percent from beyond the arc and 79.8 percent from the free throw line. The NJIT Highlanders are allowing 33.3 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 28.3 rebounds per game.
UMass Minutemen Betting Preview
The UMass Minutemen beat Harvard, lost to Florida State, and they play Central Connecticut, UMASS Lowell, and Northeastern next. The UMass Minutemen are averaging 73 points on 40.7 percent shooting and allowing 76.1 points on 43.6 percent shooting. Jaylen Curry is averaging 4.6 points and 5 rebounds, while Rahsool Diggins is averaging 12.4 points and 2.7 rebounds. Daniel Hankins-Sanford is the third double-digit scorer and Daniel Rivera is grabbing 5.9 rebounds. The UMass Minutemen are shooting 25.5 percent from beyond the arc and 64.3 percent from the free throw line. The UMass Minutemen are allowing 35.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 36.4 rebounds per game.
Why the Massachusetts Minutemen will win
- Massachusetts has won 15 of its last 16 day games against non-conference opponents at William D. Mullins Memorial Center.
- NJIT has lost 13 of its last 14 games.
- Massachusetts has won the first half in each of its last six day games against non-conference opponents at William D. Mullins Memorial Center.
Matchup/League Facts
- Massachusetts ranks 358th among Division 1 teams for a three-point percentage this season (25.5%).
- Massachusetts ranks T27th among Division 1 teams for blocks per game this season (5.4).
- NJIT ranks 17th among Division 1 teams for free throw percentage this season (79.8%).
- NJIT ranks T43rd among Division 1 teams for opponent three-point field goal attempts per game this season (19.5).
UMass vs NJIT Prediction
The UMass Minutemen are the better team and should win comfortably, but that was the case against Temple and Hofstra, and they lost outright. UMass just doesn’t shoot the ball well enough to cover these sorts of numbers. The NJIT Highlanders are a battle-tested squad that’s hung around at times, and at some point, those tough games will pay off. This feels like too much respect for UMass. I’ll take my chances with NJIT and the points.
