A low-scoring game can be expected from the Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-2) and Omaha Mavericks (3-2) when the nation’s top two scoring defenses battle it out at Williams Arena. The game gets underway at 3:00 pm ET on Friday, Nov. 27 and will air on ES3.
The Golden Gophers are hoping for a better outcome after their 81-68 loss to Texas Tech in their last matchup. Carlos Morris finished with 15 points to lead the team. The Mavericks are coming off a 105-85 win over Northern Colorado in their last outing. Jake White shot 8 for 11 and led in scoring with 25 points.
Minnesota is a substantial 11-point favorite at home and the Over/Under (O/U) for this matchup is 161 points. The Golden Gophers come into this game 3-2 Straight Up (SU) and 1-3 Against The Spread (ATS). The Golden Gophers are an incredibly accurate shooting team from the line with a .784 free throw percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. Crossing over to the defensive side of the court, opposing offenses have been stifled by the Golden Gophers, who allow a Division I-low field goal percentage of only .375.
In the other locker room, the Mavericks have 3-2 SU and 2-1 ATS records. They sport the 17th-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging 89.0 points per game. Omaha is one of the top foul-shooting teams in the nation, hitting .741 of their shots from the line. Moving on to the Omaha defense, the Mavericks have the best opponent field-goal percentage in the nation at .373.
Minnesota and Omaha will be squaring off for the first time this season. In their most recent meeting a season ago, Omaha came out on top, bumping its SU record to 1-0 over the Mavericks. On the other hand, with a 1-0 record, Omaha has the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – NEOma, ATS Winner – NEOma, O/U – Over
Notes
Omaha is one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 89.0 points per game (ranked 17th). Minnesota, on the other hand, allows 67.8 points per game (ranked 115th).
In its last game, Omaha won by a margin of 20 points. Minnesota is 1-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Omaha has a 2-0 record in blowouts.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers have the nation’s top defense, with a defensive rating of 97.6. The Omaha Mavericks have an offensive rating of 111.1 (ranked 116th).
The Minnesota Golden Gophers average a field goal percentage of 41.7% this season. The Omaha Mavericks are a perfect 1-0 in games where opponents have a FG% of 41.7% or greater.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers rank lower for their field goal percentage (250th) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (215th), but the Omaha Mavericks have a better FG% ranking (107th) than eFG% ranking (128th).
Minnesota, the 82nd-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.6 per game. Omaha does worse, ranked 105th with 4.2.
Minnesota ranks 303rd in offensive rebounds, while Omaha ranks 72nd in defensive rebounds.
Minnesota is one of the top teams in forced turnovers, with opponents averaging a TO% of 19.5% (ranked first). Omaha is winless this season (0-1 SU) when its TO% reaches 19.5% or greater.
