The No.2-seeded Stanford Cardinal challenge the No.3-seeded Rhode Island Rams in the second round of the NIT tournament at Maples Pavilion. Action begins at 9:30 pm ET on Sunday, Mar. 22 and can be seen on ESPN U.
The Cardinal played well in their last game, topping UC Davis 77-64 in the first round. Anthony Brown had a good outing, recording 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists for Stanford. The Rams, meanwhile, are coming off an 88-75 win against Iona in the first round. Hassan Martin had a good game for Rhode Island, accounting for 14 points, four rebounds, and two steals.
The odds for Stanford and Rhode Island are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Cardinal have gone 20-13 Straight Up (SU) and 14-18-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last 10 games, they have only managed a record of 2-8 ATS. The Cardinal are one of the best in Division I in terms of free throws made, making an impressive 16.3 per game.
In the other locker room, the Rams have 23-9 SU and 16-13 ATS records. The Rams allow very few three-pointers on defense with 3.8 given up per game. Blocking shots is an area where Rhode Island has excelled. The Rams average 5.5 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the nation.
These two meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. Stanford won the last game in the matchup, bringing the head-to-head record to an even 0-0 SU.
Predictions: SU Winner – URI, ATS Winner – URI
Notes
Stanford is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games.
Stanford is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games.
Stanford is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home.
Stanford lost its last game by a 22-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Rhode Island is 5-0. Stanford is 5-1 in blowouts this season.
The Stanford Cardinal average 66.7 possessions and 1.084 points per possession in games this season. The Rhode Island Rams average fewer possessions with 66.1, as well as fewer points per possession with 1.021.
Stanford has an average effective field goal percentage of 49.3%. Rhode Island is 3-4 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Stanford attempts an average of 17.7 three pointers per game and Rhode Island attempts 14.7 on average. When the teams attempt at least 20 three pointers, the Stanford Cardinal have an even 5-5 record while the Rhode Island Rams are undefeated with a 2-0 record.
Stanford, the 62nd-ranked team in rebounding, register an average of 36.6 rebounds per game. Rhode Island does worse, ranked 121st with 35.4.
The Stanford Cardinal make an average of 5.4 steals per game. When the Rhode Island Rams allow 5 or more steals, they are a winning 18-8.
