Rice Owls vs Pepperdine Waves Prediction

The Pepperdine Waves will beat the Rice Owls. The Rice Owls will cover the spread, and the total will go under.

Analyzing each team’s performance, it is notable that Pepperdine has struggled offensively with an average of only 67.2 points per game. Their shooting percentages reflect a lack of efficiency, sitting at 38.9% from the field and 28.4% from beyond the arc. In contrast, Rice manages to score 72.5 points per game, largely bolstered by their superior field goal percentage at 40.7% and a commendable 37.9% from three-point territory. This offensive output indicates that Rice can put points on the board; however, Pepperdine’s defensive resilience will likely negate much of this scoring prowess.

Defensively, Pepperdine’s metrics suggest that they can contain Rice’s offense sufficiently. With an average of 29.3 rebounds per game, they excel at securing possessions and limiting second-chance opportunities for their opponents. While Rice holds an advantage in rebounding at 32.6 per game, it is unlikely to translate into decisive scoring due to Pepperdine’s strong defense and propensity to control the game pace. Hence, I expect the game to remain tight, leading to a total score that stays under the projected line. Ultimately, expect a competitive outing, where Pepperdine edges out a win while Rice manages to cover the spread thanks to their scoring edge and Pepperdine’s offensive inefficiencies.