The No.5-seeded Savannah State Tigers face off against the No.4-seeded Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in the second round of the MEAC tournament at Norfolk Scope Arena. The game gets underway at 8:30 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 10.
The Wildcats are hoping for a better outcome after their 85-72 loss to South Carolina State in their last game. Mario Moody recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds, earning his sixth double-double of the year. The Tigers, meanwhile, are coming off a 63-58 win over Delaware State in the 1. Christopher Martin shot 7-for-13 and led in scoring with 21 points.
Moody has taken his game to another level recently for the Wildcats, averaging 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.4 blocks, and 1.4 three-pointers over the last five games.
Points could be at a premium in this matchup between two of the nation’s best defenses. Bethune-Cookman ranks 26th in the nation in defensive efficiency (106.2), while Savannah State is 11th (99.0). Also, the Tigers commit the 29th-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 22.1%), while the disruptive defense of the Wildcats causes the 15th-most (opponents’ TO% of 19.2%).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Wildcats won the first game 62-59. Jordan Potts had a standout performance in the victory, putting up 21 points, three rebounds, three assists, and four three-pointers.
The Wildcats are looking to improve on their records of 14-17 Straight Up (SU) and 1-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 8-2 SU and winless ATS (0-1) in their last 10 games. The Wildcats have really locked down opponents on the defensive end, ranking 22nd in the country with a .435 opponent field-goal percentage.
On the other side, the Tigers have 15-14 SU and 1-3 ATS records. Savannah State’s defense is one of the top in the nation, with opponents shooting only .434 from the field.
In their previous meeting this season, Bethune-Cookman beat Savannah State, but the win was not enough to overtake Savannah State in their recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 4-6 SU over the last few meetings. With a 1-0 record, the Wildcats have the advantage ATS. Savannah State had the advantage in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) once over the last five games. Bethune-Cookman has never had the edge in all three categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – B-C, ATS Winner – B-C
Notes
The Savannah State Tigers have a defensive rating of 99.0 (ranked 11th), while the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats have an offensive rating of 102.9 (ranked 233rd).
On average, Bethune-Cookman has 69.2 possessions per game and scores 1.029 points on each possession. Savannah State has both fewer possessions (67.7) and scores fewer points during those possessions (.927).
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats average an effective field goal percentage of 48.3% this season. The Savannah State Tigers have an underachieving record of 6-11 when opponents have an eFG% of 48.3% or greater.
Bethune-Cookman attempts an average of 24.0 three pointers per game and Savannah State attempts 20.0. In games where they have 20 or more three point attempts, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats have an 11-16 record while the Savannah State Tigers have a 10-8 record.
Bethune-Cookman ranks 49th in offensive rebounding. Savannah State ranks 329th in defensive rebounding.
Bethune-Cookman is among the best in forcing turnovers, with opponents averaging a TO% of 19.2% (ranked 15th). Savannah State has a 9-11 record SU when its TO% reaches 19.2% or greater.
