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The No.3-seeded Buffalo Bulls (17-14) face the No.11-seeded Miami (OH) RedHawks (13-19) in the second round of the MAC tournament at the Quicken Loans Arena. Action begins at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 10.
The Bulls come into this game hoping to repeat their last performance, beating Bowling Green 87-83 the last time they played. Blake Hamilton had a good outing, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists for the Bulls. The RedHawks, meanwhile, are coming off a 49-47 win over Ball State in the 1. Eric Washington led the team in scoring with 15 points on 4-for-8 shooting.
Over the last five games, Hamilton has taken his game to another level for the Bulls. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 2.2 three-pointers. Washington has upped his play for the RedHawks. In the same five-game span, he is averaging 14.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.4 three-pointers.
Baskets could be hard to come by as Buffalo ranks 23rd in the nation, allowing just 104.1 points per 100 possessions, while Miami (OH) is 24th (104.1). Also, the RedHawks commit the 23rd-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 19.1%), while the disruptive defense of the Bulls causes the 18th-most (opponents’ TO% of 18.8%).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The RedHawks had the upper hand in the most recent game, a close 67-59 win. Washington had a standout performance in the victory, putting up 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one three-pointer.
The Bulls enter the game with records of 17-14 Straight Up (SU) and 14-13-2 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 7-3 ATS. The Bulls have really locked down opponents on the defensive end, ranking 24th in the country with a .436 opponent field-goal percentage.
In the other locker room, the RedHawks head into the game with records of 14-15 ATS and 13-19 SU. Teams seem to consistently miss shots against the RedHawks, who are the 20th-best team in the nation in terms of opponent field goal percentage allowed at .431. The RedHawks are in for a physical game against Buffalo. The Bulls are not afraid to send opponents to the free throw line, averaging 21.9 fouls per game.
With the RedHawks’ last win against Buffalo, Miami (OH) is still behind in the head-to-head record over their most recent meetings, 3-7 SU. With a 6-4 record, the Bulls also have the advantage ATS. Buffalo held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers once in the last five, while Miami (OH) wasn’t able to do so in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – Buff, ATS Winner – Buff
Notes
In its last game, Miami (OH) won by a margin of two points. Buffalo is 1-2 in games decided by a margin of three points or less. Miami (OH) has a 4-3 record in close games.
The Buffalo Bulls have a defensive rating of 104.1 (ranked 23rd), while the Miami (OH) RedHawks have an offensive rating of 97.2 (ranked 315th).
Buffalo has an average field goal percentage of 43.6%. Miami (OH) is an abysmal 2-14 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Buffalo Bulls and the Miami (OH) RedHawks both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. Buffalo is 212th and 200th in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Miami (OH) ranks 328th and 320th in these categories.
Buffalo, the 65th-ranked team in rebounding, register an average of 38.5 rebounds per game. Miami (OH) does worse, ranked 321st with 32.3.
Miami (OH) ranks 241st in offensive rebounds, while Buffalo ranks at 100th in defensive rebounds.
Buffalo is one of the top teams in forced turnovers, with opponents averaging a TO% of 18.8% (ranked 18th). Miami (OH) has a losing record of 6-11 SU this season when its TO% reaches 18.8% or greater.
