The UMKC Kangaroos (7-5) and UNC Wilmington Seahawks (6-3) will face off at KFC Yum! Center for this game. Action begins at 4:15 pm ET on Wednesday, Dec. 23.
The Kangaroos are hoping to rebound after their 75-47 loss to Louisville on Tuesday. Martez Harrison was the team’s leading scorer with 12 points. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are coming off a 102-77 win against Utah Valley on Tuesday. C.J. Bryce led the team in scoring by accounting for 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting.
The Kangaroos are still looking for their first win Against The Spread (0-1 ATS) to go with a 7-5 Straight Up (SU) record. UMKC will look to take advantage of the Seahawks and their propensity to foul. UNC Wilmington has committed the most fouls in the nation, averaging 25.3 per game.
In the other locker room, the Seahawks have 6-3 SU and 4-2 ATS records. Offensively, they average 85.4 points per game, which is good for 17th in the country. The Seahawks have controlled the glass with an average of 42.4 rebounds per game, 25th in the country. The UNC Wilmington defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only 5.0 field goals from three-point range per game. Teams with weak ball handling have not fared well against the Seahawks, who rank 10th in the nation with 9.9 steals per game.
This game will be the first meeting for UMKC and UNC Wilmington in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – NC-Wil, ATS Winner – NC-Wil
Notes
UNC Wilmington is one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 85.4 points per game (ranked 17th). UMKC, on the other hand, allows 73.2 points per game (ranked 218th).
UNC Wilmington won its last game by a 25-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, UMKC is 0-3. UNC Wilmington is 5-0 in blowouts this season.
Ranked 79th, the UNC Wilmington Seahawks have an offensive rating of 111.1. The UMKC Kangaroos rank 257th with a defensive rating of just 106.2.
The UMKC Kangaroos average a field goal percentage of 44.2% this season. The UNC Wilmington Seahawks have split their games this season (2-2) when opponents have a FG% of 44.2% or greater.
The UMKC Kangaroos rank lower for their field goal percentage (165th) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (159th), but the UNC Wilmington Seahawks have a better FG% ranking (125th) than eFG% ranking (203rd).
UNC Wilmington ranks 78th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.26. UMKC is ranked lower at 294th with an A/TO of .84.
The UNC Wilmington Seahawks average 42.4 rebounds per game and are ranked 25th. The UMKC Kangaroos average 35.1 rebounds per game, ranked 259th.
When it comes to offensive rebounds, UNC Wilmington ranks 24th. UMKC ranks 263rd in defensive rebounds.
UNC Wilmington averages a forced turnover rate of 23.8% this season, ranked 13th in the nation. UMKC has a 2-3 record when it suffers a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this.
