The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will be at U.S. Century Bank Arena to face off against the FIU Golden Panthers in a Conference USA matchup. The game starts at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, Mar. 5.
The Golden Panthers are hoping for a better outcome after their 77-60 loss to UAB on Thursday. Donte McGill was the team’s leading scorer with 17 points. The Blue Raiders are coming off a 76-59 win over Florida Atlantic on Thursday. Perrin Buford claimed his second double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Blue Raiders won the first game 67-66. Despite the loss, Daviyon Draper had a standout performance with 25 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one block, and two three-pointers.
The Golden Panthers come into this game 13-17 Straight Up (SU) and 12-11-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Golden Panthers are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .473 from the field. FIU’s defense can be considered one of the best in the country. The Golden Panthers allow a .405 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the country. An area where the Golden Panthers are particularly strong is defensive rebounding where they average 27.4 per game, 47th in Division I.
On the other side, the Blue Raiders head into the game with records of 13-15-1 ATS and 20-9 SU. The Blue Raiders are one of the top defensive teams on the road, essentially shutting down opponents to the tune of 67.6 points allowed per away game.
Following the Blue Raiders’ latest win over FIU, their SU record is now 8-2 over FIU in their most recent meetings. The Golden Panthers lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4. Middle Tennessee held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice in the last five game, while FIU wasn’t able to do so in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – MiddTn, ATS Winner – MiddTn
Notes
FIU averages 71.4 points per game, placing the team just 170th in the nation. Middle Tennessee ranks 85th in points allowed, giving up 68.7 points per game.
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders have a defensive rating of 99.2 (ranked 68th), while the FIU Golden Panthers have an offensive rating of 105.8 (ranked 186th).
FIU has an average field goal percentage of 47.3%. Middle Tennessee is a poor 3-5 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The FIU Golden Panthers rank higher based on their field goal percentage (39th) than their effective field goal percentage (76th). The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders rank higher based on their effective field goal percentage (115th) than their field goal percentage (149th).
FIU, the 43rd-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.8 per game. Middle Tennessee does worse, ranked 189th with 3.3.
Middle Tennessee ranks 185th in offensive rebounds, while FIU ranks at 47th in defensive rebounds.
On average, FIU forces a turnover rate of 15.0%. When Middle Tennessee turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 13-7 record.
