The Hampton Pirates take on the Grambling State Tigers in College Park, Georgia as part of the Toyota Chris Paul HBCU Classic. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Hampton is favored by -2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -152. The total is set at 137.5 points.
Here’s my Hampton vs. Grambling prediction and college basketball picks for December 19, 2025.
Hampton vs Grambling Prediction
My Pick: Under 137.5 (Play to 131)
My Hampton vs Grambling best bet is the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Hampton vs. Grambling Odds
| Hampton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -108 | 137.5 -110 / -110 | -152 |
| Grambling Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -112 | 137.5 -110 / -110 | +126 |
- Hampton vs Grambling spread: Hampton -2.5
- Hampton vs Grambling over/under: 137.5 points
- Hampton vs Grambling moneyline: Hampton -152, Grambling +126
Hampton vs Grambling College Basketball Betting Preview
Hampton Basketball
Before heading to Georgia for the HBCU Classic, Hampton won three of its past four games. The Pirates will face much stiffer competition this week, though.
Scoring has been a real problem for the Pirates this season. They regularly hover around the 60-point mark and are a horrific shooting team. They connect on just 27% of their shots from deep and also shoot 47% from inside the arc.
The Pirates have a trio of guards who do the bulk of the scoring: Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt, Michael Eley and Daniel Johnson.
Gaines-Wyatt is smaller and a non-shooter, but leads Hampton with 11.3 points per game. Eley is the upside option here. He’s a springy athlete, although he tends to take bad shots and hits just 25% from deep. Lastly, Johnson is the only real shooter on the team, connecting on 37.5% from deep.
Where the Pirates make their money is in effort-based categories. They're an outstanding offensive rebounding squad, grabbing misses at a 34% clip.
That accounts for a fair chunk of the Pirates' offense.
Xzavier Long, a 6-foot-7 small-ball four, leads Hampton with 10.2 rebounds per contest, and four are offensive boards.
Additionally, Hampton is one of the top teams in America at drawing fouls, ranking 23rd nationally in FTA/FGA, according to KenPom.
Hampton sits 201st in KenPom's defensive efficiency, and its lack of length is a real issue in terms of defending the rim. Opponents shoot 52.9% from inside the arc against the Pirates, who start just one player (Josh Ogundele), taller than 6-foot-7.
Grambling Basketball
Grambling entered this event on a five-game losing streak, but it gave Tulane and Southern Miss a real scare.
The Tigers have such an interesting lineup. Every player in Grambling's 10-man rotation spans from 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-8, so it has a small edge in the height department, particularly at the point guard spot.
That's where Roderick Coffee III can stand out in this matchup.
At 6-foot4, Coffee can use his blend of scoring and passing to dominate Hampton's point guard, Gaines-Wyatt. He'll also cause problems for Gaines-Wyatt's offense with his stout defense and size, keeping him out of the lane.
Defense is the strong suit of this Grambling squad, as it ranks 194th in defensive efficiency. With all the backcourt length on Grambling's roster, it's no surprise that it forces turnovers at a 20% clip.
However, it gives the ball away 23% of the time on offense, so expect a very sloppy game with a lot of loose balls.
Offensively, Grambling either has to hit a 3-pointer or get to the foul line because scoring at the hoop just isn't part of its formula.
Although the Tigers attempt 3s on just 34% of their field goals, they also connect on 34% of them. And just like Hampton, Grambling State wants to attack to get free shots at the line, ranking 19th in FTA/FGA.
In a season with very few bright spots, freshman forward Antonio Munoz is standing out. The 6-foot-6 forward from Chicago is the only double-digit scorer on Grambling State's roster (12.2 PPG).
Munoz is adept at drawing fouls, ranking 16th nationally in free-throw rate. He'll look to keep the Pirates off balance and make a living at the line here.
Hampton vs. Grambling Betting Analysis
Everything points to an ugly, sloppy rock fight between two teams who are terrible on the offensive end. Both teams also want to play slow, as Grambling State is 243rd in adjusted tempo and Hampton is 276th.
The Tigers are the better offensive team than the Pirates in terms of shot-making. However, pairing the slow tempo with the brutal turnover rate makes Grambling State one of the worst offensive teams in the sport.
The good news? Hampton forces turnovers 18% of the time. It'll help make things ugly and keep this game at a slow pace.
In my view, the final score will be in the low 60s. Neither team will pull away, and whoever turns the ball over less will probably emerge victorious. I want the under here, though.
My Pick: Under 137.5 (Play to 131)
