The BYU Cougars (12-8, 4-1 WCC) visit San Francisco to take on the Dons (15-3, 3-1 WCC) in a matchup that pits sensational offense against exceptional defense. The game is scheduled to start at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 19, 2019.
BYU Cougars vs. San Francisco Dons Free Prediction
In the Cougars’ last contest, they beat the Pepperdine Waves, 87-76. BYU’s free throw rate was their biggest advantage over Pepperdine. The Cougars had a rate of 0.520 (above their season average of 0.285), while the Waves posted a mark of 0.361. With 34 points on 7-for-14 shooting, TJ Haws was the top scorer from either team.
The Dons edged the Pacific Tigers in their last outing, 53-52. San Francisco’s turnover percentage was their largest strength over Pacific. The Dons had a rate of 21.4 (worse than their season average of 12.8), while the Tigers posted a mark of 24.4 (above their season average of 17.7). Jordan Ratinho was the top scorer from either team with 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the field.
After the Cougars won both meetings against the Dons last season, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. In the last contest, BYU won 75-73. The Cougars made 18 of their 23 free throws (78.3 percent) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (25.8 vs. 20.0).
The high-powered offense of San Francisco will go head-to-head against the bottom-tier defense of BYU. The Dons currently rank 44th in offensive efficiency, while the Cougars are 255th in defensive efficiency. The Dons should have the edge on that side of the ball. It will also be a showdown of contrasting tempos as the up-and-down Cougars rank 36th in possessions per game, while the more methodical Dons rank 288th.
BYU Cougars at San Francisco Dons Free Pick
Prediction: SU Winner – San Francisco, ATS Winner – San Francisco, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes:
San Francisco ranks 40th in rebounds per game (39.4) while BYU ranks 207th in rebounds allowed per game (37.0).
The Dons rank 16th in assists allowed per game (10.2) while the Cougars rank 154th (13.8).
San Francisco ranks 41st in three pointers allowed per game (19.7) while BYU ranks 162nd (23.3).
The Cougars rank 31st in blocks allowed per game (2.5) while the Dons rank 91st (3.3).
San Francisco is 13th in the nation with 4.8 steals allowed per game while BYU is 55th with 5.8 steals allowed per game.
Bettings Trends:
The Cougars’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 4.2, down from 5.3 for the season.
During their last five games, the Dons have scored an average of 71.0 points per game (1.6 below their season average) and allowed an average of 72.4 points per game (13.1 above their season average).
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