The 2020-21 CBB season goes on Wednesday, December 23, with more non-conference action, so here’s the best betting pick along with the latest odds for the Csu Bakersfield Roadrunners versus Pepperdine Waves clash at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California.  

These two schools haven’t met each other since 2011, and the Roadrunners have won four of their previous five encounters with the Waves. However, Pepperdine opened as a firm 7.5-point fave for Wednesday’s game, so let’s take a closer look.  

The Roadrunners stood no chance against the Cardinal 

The CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners snapped a two-game win streak with a 63-50 defeat at the Stanford Cardinal this past Monday, falling to 3-3 on the season. They trailed by nine or more points for most of the game but managed to cover a 14.5-point spread. 

It was the Roadrunners’ third loss in three outings on the road this season. They are winless in eight straight showings away from home, covering just twice in that span. 

CSU Bakersfield is now No. 200 in the KenPom rankings. The Roadrunners have struggled offensively, scoring just 96.1 points per 100 possessions (263^rd in the country) on 43.5% shooting from the field (206^th). They yield 99.6 points in a return (153^rd) on 39.3% shooting from the field (67^th). 

The Waves continue to upset the odds and their fans 

The Pepperdine Waves are 4-4 on the season, still trying to record two straight wins. They are coming off a 75-63 defeat to the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos as 3-point home favorites this past Saturday, suffering their second loss in the last three home tilts. 

Interestingly, the Waves are 6-1 straight up in their last seven games following a loss. They’ve won 11 of their previous 17 home contests, but the Waves are only 4-13 ATS during that stretch. 

Pepperdine is No. 113 in the latest KenPom rankings. The Waves are 85^th in the country in points scored per 100 possessions (105.3) and 160^th in points allowed per 100 possessions (100.0). They shoot 48.3% from the field (59^th in the nation) while handing out 18.4 assists per contest (27^th). 

CSU Bakersfield:

• 2-8 ATS in the last ten games overall  
• 1-5 ATS in the last six games on the road 

Pepperdine:

• 9-5-1 ATS in the last 15 games overall 

The Winner Prediction

The Waves dropped their last two home games as favorites, so I think they won’t allow another upset. Covering a 7.5-point spread could be a problem, but I’m backing the hosts on BetAmerica. 

Simply put, Pepperdine is a better team than CSU Bakersfield, especially on the offensive end. While the Roadrunners have just one guy who’s averaging points in double figures, the Waves heavily lean on Colbey Ross (20.1 PPG, 7.6 APG) and Kessler Edwards (18.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG). 

Pepperdine’s D is a big issue, but the Roadrunners are far away from an elite defensive level, too, while their offense has been poor thus far. 

Pick: Take Pepperdine -7.5 at -110 

The Total:

The under has hit in nine of the Roadrunners’ last 13 games overall and six of their previous eight showings on the road. I’ve mentioned their offensive woes, while the Roadrunners play at a very slow pace, averaging only 67.9 possessions per 40 minutes (315^th in the nation). 

On the other side, the Waves love to push the ball in transition. They tally 72.1 possessions per 40 minutes (89^th). Still, the Waves have some serious defensive issues, so I’m betting on the over, looking for the visitors to take some advantage of Pepperdine’s D. 

Pick: Go over 140.5 points at -110

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