The No. 19 Mississippi State Bulldogs (11-1) meet the BYU Cougars (8-6) at Humphrey Coliseum. The game will air on ESPNU at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 29, 2018.
BYU Cougars at Mississippi State Bulldogs Free Prediction
In the Cougars’ last outing, they were topped by the No. 7 Nevada Wolf Pack, 86-70. Getting to the charity stripe was one of Nevada’s largest strengths. They made 39 trips to the line, while BYU went just 19 times. BYU’s Yoeli Childs played well, putting up 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The Bulldogs had no trouble getting past the Austin Peay Governors in their last game, 95-67. Mississippi State’s effective field goal percentage was their largest advantage over Austin Peay. The Bulldogs had a rate of 0.633, while the Governors posted a mark of 0.415. With 10 points and 10 rebounds, Mississippi State’s Aric Holman put together a solid game.
Both teams have had a player step their game up over their last five games. Childs (0 points) has been stellar for the Cougars while Quinndary Weatherspoon (0 points) has made great contributions to the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State appears to have the edge on the offensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs currently rank 20th in offensive efficiency, while the Cougars rank 223rd in defensive efficiency. It will also be a battle of contrasting paces as the aggressively-paced Cougars rank 29th in possessions per game, while the more half-court oriented Bulldogs rank 311th.
BYU Cougars at Mississippi State Bulldogs Free Pick
Free Pick: SU Winner – Mississippi State, ATS Winner – BYU, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes:
Mississippi State ranks 15th in rebounds allowed per game (29.9) while BYU ranks 209th (38.6).
The Bulldogs rank 47th in three pointers allowed per game (20.0) while the Cougars rank 164th (24.1).
Mississippi State averages 16.1 assists per game, which ranks 41st in the NCAA. BYU ranks 157th in assists allowed per game (14.3).
The Bulldogs rank 29th in blocks per game (4.9) while the Cougars rank 98th (3.1).
Mississippi State is 14th in the nation with 4.8 steals allowed per game while BYU is 45th with 5.6 steals allowed per game.
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The Cougars’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 14.0, up from 7.7 for the season.
During their last five games, the Bulldogs have scored an average of 75.8 points per game (2.5 below their season average) and allowed an average of 61.2 points per game (4.3 below their season average).
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