The Tulane Green Wave (8-12) visit the Cincinnati Bearcats (14-6) in what should be a low-scoring game. Action begins at 12:00 pm ET on Sunday, Jan. 24 and can be seen on ESU and ES3.
The Bearcats enter this game hoping for similar success after topping Memphis 76-72 on Thursday. Troy Caupain was the game’s leading scorer with 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting. The Green Wave, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their demoralizing 60-42 loss against Connecticut on Tuesday. Blake Paul had a good game for Tulane, accounting for four points, six rebounds, and two blocks.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams square off. Cincinnati ranks 309th in possessions per game (66.4), while Tulane is 306th (66.5). Furthermore, the 307th-ranked offense of the Green Wave (offensive efficiency of 97.3) will face a tough test against the 13th-ranked defense of the Bearcats (defensive efficiency of 92.5).
This one isn’t expected to be close when Cincinnati, a substantial 17-point favorite, takes on Tulane. The matchup has an estimated Over/Under (O/U) of 124 points. The Bearcats come into this game 14-6 Straight Up (SU) and 6-9-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Expect to see a lot of second-chance opportunities for Cincinnati in this matchup, which is one of the top rebounding teams in the nation with an average of 13.7 offensive boards per game. Cincinnati is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.36. Opposing teams know they’re in for a battle when they play Cincinnati’s stingy defense. The Bearcats are one of the top teams when it comes to defense, allowing just 61.8 points per game. Cincinnati’s defense can be considered one of the best in the country. The Bearcats allow a .389 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the country. Cincinnati’s defenders rank 22nd in Division I in steals with 8.4 per game.
As for their opponent, the Green Wave have 8-12 SU and 6-7-1 ATS records. The Green Wave have controlled the offensive glass with an average of 13.3 offensive rebounds per game, 39th in the country.
The conference foes meet for what will be their first head-to-head battle of the season. Cincinnati won the last game in the matchup, bumping its SU record to 4-1 over the Green Wave. The Bearcats also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 3-2.
Predictions: SU Winner – Cin, ATS Winner – Cin, O/U – Under
Notes
Cincinnati is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati’s last 6 games.
Cincinnati is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games at home.
Cincinnati is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing Tulane.
Cincinnati is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tulane.
Cincinnati scores an average of just 74.2 points per game (ranked 166th). Tulane ranks 79th in points allowed, giving up 67.0 points per game.
Cincinnati scores 81.2 points per home game (ranked 99th). Tulane ranks a poor 112th in points allowed on the road, allowing 72.0 points.
In its last game, Tulane lost by a margin of 18 points. Cincinnati is 6-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Tulane has a 3-3 record in blowouts.
The Cincinnati Bearcats have a defensive rating of 92.5 (ranked 13th), while the Tulane Green Wave have an offensive rating of 97.3 (ranked 307th).
Cincinnati has an average field goal percentage of 44.1%. Tulane is a losing 1-4 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
On average, the Cincinnati Bearcats attempt 21.0 three point field goals per game and the Tulane Green Wave attempt 20.0. In games where they attempt at least 20 three pointers, Cincinnati has a winning record of 9-4, while Tulane has a losing record of 3-9.
Cincinnati ranks 43rd in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.36. Tulane is ranked lower at 307th with an A/TO of .82.
Cincinnati ranks 58th in rebounds per game with 39.5 and Tulane ranks 62nd with 39.2 rebounds per game.
The Tulane Green Wave rank 39th in offensive rebounds. The Cincinnati Bearcats rank 165th in the nation in defensive rebounds.
On average, Tulane forces a turnover rate of 18.3%. When Cincinnati turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 7-4 record.
