The No.2-seeded Miami (FL) Hurricanes and No.2-seeded Stanford Cardinal meet for a shot at winning the NIT. Action begins at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Apr. 2 and can be seen on ESPN.
The Hurricanes played well in their last game, barely hanging on to beat Temple 60-57 in the semifinals. Sheldon McClellan played a pivotal role, recording his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Cardinal, meanwhile, are coming off a 67-60 win against Old Dominion in the semifinals. Stefan Nastic played well for Stanford, registering 17 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
The Cardinal will look to keep miscues at a minimum in this matchup. They’re ranked 25th in the nation at avoiding mistakes (TO% of 16.2%). Conversely, Miami (FL) forces the 53rd-fewest errors in the nation, with just 31.6% of opponents’ possessions resulting in a turnover.
The odds for Miami (FL) and Stanford are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Hurricanes come into this game 25-12 Straight Up (SU) and 17-17-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Hurricanes are one of the best in Division I in terms of three-point field goals, making 8.1 shots per game from beyond the arc. Miami (FL) is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.32.
As for their opponent, the Cardinal have 23-13 SU and 16-19-1 ATS records. Stanford has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 2-8 record. The Cardinal convert their three-pointers at a high percentage, ranking 32nd in the nation at .387. Taking care of the basketball is something the Cardinal do very well, averaging just 10.8 turnovers per game.
With the Cardinal’s last win against Miami (FL), They are also even ATS at 0-0.
Predictions: SU Winner – STAN, ATS Winner – STAN
Notes
The Stanford Cardinal rank 58th for their offensive rating of 108.9. The Miami (FL) Hurricanes have a defensive rating of 173.2 (ranked 97th).
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes average a field goal percentage of 43.7% this season. The Stanford Cardinal have a poor record of 5-8 when opponents have a FG% of 43.7% or greater.
The Miami (FL) Hurricanes and the Stanford Cardinal both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Miami (FL) is 160th and 90th in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Stanford is 178th and 165th in these categories.
Miami (FL) ranks 32nd in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.32, while Stanford ranks 96th with an A/TO of 1.14.
Miami (FL) ranks 252nd in offensive rebounds, while Stanford ranks 53rd in defensive rebounds.
Stanford makes 5.4 steals per game. When Miami (FL) allows 5 or more steals, the team has an even 9-9 record.
