The Tulane Green Wave will be at XL Center to take on the Connecticut Huskies in an American Athletic Conference matchup. The game gets underway at 7:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Jan. 19 and will air on CCS.
The Huskies beat Houston 69-57 on Sunday. Sterling Gibbs was the game’s high scorer with 20 points on 6-for-13 shooting. The Green Wave are coming off a 60-45 loss to SMU on Sunday. Melvin Frazier had a good shooting night, leading the team with 11 points.
The Connecticut defense should have a clear edge in terms of eFG%. It ranks 17th in the nation in forcing misses (opponents’ eFG% of 44.0%), while the Tulane offense is 312th with a mark of 46.2%. Furthermore, the 289th-ranked offense of the Green Wave (offensive efficiency of 98.6) will face a tough test against the 31st-ranked defense of the Huskies (defensive efficiency of 94.5).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Huskies won the first game 75-67. Gibbs was a top performer in the victory with 16 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, one block, and four three-pointers.
Connecticut is a heavy 16-point favorite at home and the Over/Under (O/U) for this matchup is 132 points. The Huskies enter the game with records of 12-5 Straight Up (SU) and 6-6-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Huskies are an impressive shooting team with a .475 field-goal percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. Turning to the defensive side, the Connecticut defense has been very good, only giving up 63.9 points per game. Opposing offenses have been stifled by the Huskies, who allow a field goal percentage of only .378. An area where the Huskies are particularly strong is shot blocking, where they average 5.6 blocks per game, 15th in Division I.
On the other side, the Green Wave head into the game with records of 6-6-1 ATS and 8-11 SU. The Green Wave are a force on the offensive glass, grabbing an average of 13.3 offensive rebounds per game.
Connecticut won the last meeting this season between these two teams, moving its SU record against the Green Wave to 3-0. However, with a 2-1 record, Tulane has the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – UConn, ATS Winner – UConn, O/U – Over
Notes
Connecticut is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
Connecticut is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games.
Tulane is struggling at 1-5 SU in its conference, while Connecticut sits at 3-2 SU.
Tulane scores an average of just 65.9 points per game (ranked 315th). Connecticut ranks 26th in points allowed, giving up 63.9 points per game.
Ranked 69th, the Connecticut Huskies have an offensive rating of 111.5. The Tulane Green Wave rank 128th with a defensive rating of just 100.0.
The Connecticut Huskies average 68.5 possessions and 1.115 points per possession in games this season. The Tulane Green Wave average fewer possessions with 66.8, as well as fewer points per possession with .986.
Connecticut has an average effective field goal percentage of 53.8%. Tulane is a losing 1-4 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Connecticut ranks 88th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.21. Tulane is ranked lower at 295th with an A/TO of .85.
Tulane, the 64th-ranked team in rebounding, registers an average of 39.3 rebounds per game. Connecticut does worse, ranked 137th with 37.5.
Tulane makes an average of 6.0 steals per game. Connecticut has a winning 5-2 record when it allows at least 6 steals.
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