The UC Davis Aggies (22-9, 13-4 BigWst) clash with the Cal State Fullerton Titans (18-11, 11-6 BigWst) in the Big West Conference Tourney at Honda Center. The game can be seen on ESPNU at 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 9, 2018.
Cal State Fullerton Titans vs. UC Davis Aggies Betting Prediction
The Titans come in on a high note after narrowly defeating the Long Beach State 49ers in their last game, 76-74. Cal State Fullerton’s 0.560 effective field goal percentage was their biggest strength over Long Beach State, who had a rate of 0.389. The Titans’ mark was above their season average of 0.522, while the 49ers’ was below their season average of 0.507. With 24 points on 7-for-15 shooting, Kyle Allman Jr. was the top scorer from either team.
The last time the Aggies played, they defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders, 70-66. Getting to the free throw line was one of UC Davis’ largest advantages. They had 28 free throw attempts, seven more than UC Riverside. With 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds, UC Davis’ TJ Shorts II had a solid game.
The aggressive UC Davis offense might be living from the foul line in this meeting. The Aggies rank 28th in the nation with a free throw attempt (FTA) rate of 0.291, while Cal State Fullerton is among the nation’s most foul-prone squads (giving up a 271st-ranked FTA rate of 0.267). Ball security could be troublesome for the Titans. They rank 299th at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 20.6 percent), while the Aggies force the 21st-most turnovers in the NCAA (opponents’ turnover percentage of 22.4 percent).
Shorts II and AJ John have played at a high level over the last five games for UC Davis. Shorts II has averaged 17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Not to be outdone, John has recorded 14.0 points and 5.8 rebounds a game during that span.
The Titans have won both matchups against the Aggies this season, escaping with a narrow 68-66 victory the last time these teams met. Cal State Fullerton had a much better effective field goal percentage (0.646 vs. 0.424). UC Davis, on the other hand, had a much better turnover percentage (9.4 vs. 27.6). Khalil Ahmad was the game’s leading scorer with 31 points.
Cal State Fullerton Titans vs. UC Davis Aggies Betting Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Cal State Fullerton, ATS Winner – Cal State Fullerton, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Cal State Fullerton ranks 159th in rebounds per game (35.0) while UC Davis ranks 258th (32.4).
The Aggies rank 53rd in steals per game (7.2) while the Titans rank 86th in steals allowed per game (5.8).
UC Davis ranks 277th in three pointers attempted per game (17.3) while Cal State Fullerton ranks 295th (15.6).
The Titans rank 124th in blocks per game (3.3) while the Aggies rank 125th in blocks allowed per game (3.5).
Bettings Trends:
The Titans’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 5.2, up from 2.8 for the season.
During their last five games, the Aggies have scored an average of 73.0 points per game (0.4 below their season average) and allowed an average of 65.2 points per game (3.1 below their season average).
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