Iona vs Pepperdine Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for Dec. 25 (Gaels Surf Over Waves in Honolulu)

Iona vs Pepperdine Game Info

2022-23 NCAA College Basketball Regular Season Game
Iona Gaels (8-4) vs. Pepperdine Waves (7-6)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Stan Sheriff Center — Honolulu, HI
Coverage: ESPNU

There are a few NCAA college basketball games slated for Christmas Day, including a Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic matchup between the Iona Gaels and Pepperdine Waves.

Iona was victorious on Friday, tallying an 83-72 win over Seattle with help from Nelly Junior Joseph's 26-point showing. Meanwhile, Pepperdine also tasted victory yesterday, defeating George Washington, 81-70, as Jevon Porter recorded a massive 18-point, 14-rebound double-double.

Can Iona get some holiday cheer with a win on Sunday? Or will Pepperdine deck the halls with another victory?

Iona vs Pepperdine Odds & Spread

All NCAA college basketball betting lines, odds and prop bets.
Moneyline: IONA: (-285) | PEPP: (+230)
Spread: IONA: -6.5 (-118) | PEPP: +6.5 (-104)
Total: 151.5 - Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

Iona enters this contest as the clear favorite on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 3:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 151.5 points with -110 odds on both the over and under. 

Iona vs Pepperdine Prediction

I like Iona in this matchup and one reason is the team's ability to get off to a strong start. The Gaels enter this tilt with a plus-5.3 first-half scoring margin (No. 58), whereas the Waves are an unimpressive plus-0.9 (No. 151) in that regard. What's even more impressive is that Iona is only a minus-0.1 in the first half on the road while Pepperdine sits at minus-4.4.

I also like Iona's defense more, allowing just 67.3 points (No. 114) on 41.9% shooting (No. 106). While Pepperdine's shooting defense is slightly better (41%, No. 79), the Waves are allowing just over six more points (73.5 PPG) than the Gaels do. On top of that, Pepperdine also allows 80.6 PPG in road/neutral site contests.

In the end, I'm more confident thant Iona can get the necessary stops when they count the most.

Final Score Prediction: Iona: 82 | Pepperdine: 74

Iona vs Pepperdine Betting Trends

- Iona is 6-2 straight up in its last eight games.
- Pepperdine is 2-5 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven games.
- The total has hit the over in six of Iona's last nine games.
- The total has hit the over in six of Pepperdine's last seven games.

Iona vs Pepperdine Best Bet

With how many points Pepperdine is capable of giving up, I'm looking to Iona to cover the spread. The Gaels have been reliable in that regard lately, covering the spread in five of their last eight games. On the other hand, the Waves are just 1-4 ATS in their last five.

Look for Iona to create some separation early on and not look back en route to victory.

Bet: Iona -6.5 (-118)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.