The No. 12 Murray State Racers (26-5) face off against the No. 5 West Virginia Mountaineers (24-10) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, March 16, 2018.
West Virginia opened as a 9.5-point favorite, while the game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 145.5 points.
Murray State Racers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers ATS Prediction
The Racers will be looking for similar success after topping the Belmont Bruins in the , 68-51. The Racers had an extraordinarily low turnover percentage of 7.9 (better than their season average of 15.5) and held the Bruins to an offensive rebounding percentage of 18.9 (below their season average of 25.4). Murray State was led by Jonathan Stark, who was the game’s leading scorer with 24 points on 10-for-21 shooting.
In the , the Mountaineers were beaten by the No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks, 81-70. Kansas’ effective field goal percentage was their largest advantage over West Virginia. The Jayhawks had a rate of 0.700 (above their season average of 0.578), while the Mountaineers posted a mark of 0.462. West Virginia’s Jevon Carter had 17 points and nine assists in the game.
This matchup pits one of the nation’s top offenses against one of its elite defenses. West Virginia ranks 33rd in offensive efficiency and Murray State ranks 22nd in defensive efficiency. Additionally, the Racers rank 57th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.277), while the Mountaineers rank 338th in opponents’ FTA rate (0.311).
Murray State Racers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Pick
College Basketball Pick: SU Winner – West Virginia, ATS Winner – West Virginia, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes:
West Virginia ranks 15th in blocks per game (5.3) while Murray State ranks 148th (3.2).
The Racers rank 22nd in rebounds allowed per game (31.4) while the Mountaineers rank 139th (34.5).
Murray State ranks seventh in assists allowed per game (9.8) while West Virginia ranks 76th (12.2).
The Mountaineers rank 14th in steals per game (8.0) while the Racers rank 79th (6.8).
West Virginia averages 24.9 three pointers per game, which ranks 54th in the nation. Murray State ranks 98th in three pointers allowed per game (20.6).
Bettings Trends:
The Racers’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 10.6, down from 13.4 for the season.
During their last five games, the Mountaineers have scored an average of 75.4 points per game (4.2 below their season average) and allowed an average of 74.0 points per game (5.0 above their season average).
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