5/10/2023 0 Comments Wednesday basketball gameThe Colonels are ranked 236th in 3-point percentage and 356th in free-throw percentage. Nicholls State likes to run, but it does not shoot the ball well. This will be a fast-paced game, as Nicholls State ranks 16th nationally in shortest average possession length while SMU ranks 79th. In the first round of the NIT, the Mustangs will draw Nicholls State, which won the regular-season Southland Conference title. However, with a core of seniors likely playing their last games together, motivation should not be an issue. Had SMU beaten Memphis, it would likely be in the NCAA Tournament. Wake’s perimeter defense is pretty mediocre, too, so Towson should make enough 3s to be competitive here. The Deacs will struggle to get margin in this game, and Towson - motivated to finish a great season on a high note after a disappointing loss - may be the more focused team here.īoth teams will get to the line a lot by trying to attack the rim, but Towson is more than capable of making up for its lack of size with energy and effort on the glass. The Tigers are a top-50 defense at guarding in transition, per ShotQuality, and also take away the 3-ball pretty effectively. The Tigers also grab a high percentage of offensive rebounds. ![]() Wake has an elite transition offense, but Towson runs a slow-paced offense that doesn’t allow many teams to run on it. The Tigers don’t turn the ball over often, which is a major focus point against the Deacs in this game. Towson was the top seed and team in the CAA all season until a loss in the semifinals to Delaware sent it to the NIT. That ultimately kept the Demon Deacons out of the NCAA Tournament field in head coach Steve Forbes’ first season. Wake Forest ended the season with losses to Clemson and Boston College. I’ll be backing Toledo in this matchup, as the Flyers will likely be demoralized having come so close to an NCAA Tournament bid. The Rockets finished 13-1 at home this season while going 9-4 against the spread. Now, it will sacrifice home-court advantage to Toledo, as the NCAA Tournament will use the University of Dayton Arena for a First Four game. The Flyers utilize a more well-rounded scoring attack that features eight players who average between six and 13 points per game.ĭayton lost both of its opening-round games in its last two trips to the NIT since 2019. But a loss to Richmond in the A-10 semifinals ultimately doomed the program’s NCAA Tournament hopes. The starting lineup contributed to 88% of the Rockets’ total points scored this season.Īnthony Grant’s Dayton program did all it could down the stretch, winning eight of its final nine games of the season. Tod Kowalczyk’s group had the same starting lineup for all 33 games this season, which is pivotal for a program that ranks 355th in the country in bench minutes. The Rockets dominated the conference, winning the regular-season title with a 17-3 record. The Flyers were the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament and now enter the NIT for the third time in four years.ĭayton will match up with the top team from the MAC in Toledo. Pick: Virginia -1.5 (Play to -3)ĭayton saw its ticket to the NCAA Tournament burn in flames when Richmond upset Davidson in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. I’ll be backing the Cavaliers as high as a three-point favorite in this one. The Hoos’ defense should be the slow, effective grind it’s always been, and it won’t allow State to shoot its way back in from the line. I think Virginia is going to be more motivated in this game while also having a significant home-court advantage. Virginia might not be great at creating turnovers, but it ranks fifth in the country when it comes to opponent free-throw attempts, giving up just 12.4 - a far cry from the 21.5 Mississippi State averages per contest. However, the Bulldogs struggle with turnovers and rely heavily on free throws. Virginia has a much more experienced team, and two of its best players are seniors.īoth teams operate with a defensive mindset and are ranked inside the top-75 nationally in defensive efficiency. ![]() Motivation could definitely be a factor in this game. ![]() It’s an even bigger blow for the Bulldogs, who were just 1-9 on the road while going 14-3 at home. Location is something that should absolutely be taken into consideration, seeing that Virginia went 10-6 at home this season and just 6-6 on the road. Now, the game will be played at Virginia. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Humphrey Coliseum is under construction. Mississippi State earned a 3-seed, and as a higher seed, it had the option to host the game. As a result, they will now meet in the NIT on Wednesday. The Bulldogs and Cavaliers had disappointing regular seasons, to say the least.
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