Following a great performance in the group stage, BAU SuperMassive are favorites heading into their match with EVOS Esports. SuperMassive were able to win their first five games in the group stage. They were only lightly tested by their opponents, and EVOS is sure to present more of a challenge. EVOS qualified by topping the VCS in both the regular season and the playoffs, but they are untested in international competition.
The winner of this best of five series will go on to the main event of MSI. There, they will compete against five of the other best teams in the world for a chance to win a nice chunk of change and international bragging rights. The loser will be eliminated from the tournament.
MSI Betting Odds (Courtesy of BetDSI)
BAU SuperMassive -185
EVOS Esports +138
Even though EVOS was awarded an automatic spot in the second round of the Mid-Season Invitational due to the strength of the Vietnamese region, they are an underdog in this match-up. That’s a little bit of a surprise. They are unproven on the international stage as a team, but they have two members that have shined here before.
Stark has had an incredible career. He is only in his second year as a professional player, but he is one of the most gifted top laners you will find. He had only been playing professionally for a little over a month prior to last year’s MSI. He was one of the biggest surprises in the play-in stages though, helping lead GIGABYTE Marines past SuperMassive last year. Since briefly stepping away, and then returning, to the game he has continued to get better. This year, he has been adept on a number of champions and will not be largely sitting on a tank.
The other member of this team who has been at this stage before is Slay. Slay was also part of the GIGABYTE Marines team that made it to the main event last season. He was fantastic against his former team in the FCS final and will look to improve on his performance from last year.
As for SuperMassive, this team is red hot at the moment. Their offseason additions have played very well and the veterans have looked very good too. GBM is a very talented mid laner and can play any champion. He played six different champions in SuperMassive’s six play-in games, and he looked sharp on each one of them. It is impossible to target ban against him and his versatility will give this team an edge in the draft phase.
SnowFlower might have been an even more important acquisition. Support players are often underrated as it’s hard to fully understand the impact they can have on the match. You could see the impact he had on his team in the play-in stage though, as his playmaking ability helped SuperMassive make quick work of their opponents.
Prediction
I’m going to go with EVOS to win this series. These odds are just too good to pass up. SuperMassive did look good last week, but their opponents were not very good. EVOS would have looked just as convincing in those games, and perhaps even moreso. I think Stark will win his lane and YiJin will make enough plays from the jungle to take a Vietnamese team back to the main event. The one thing that is for certain is that these will be quick game.
