The Nevada Wolf Pack face off against the Montana Grizzlies in the first round of the CBI tournament at Lawlor Events Center. The game begins at 10:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Mar. 16.
The Wolf Pack lost to San Diego State 67-55 in the 3 of the Mountain West tournament. Cameron Oliver put in a solid effort despite the loss for Nevada, recording 21 points and 10 rebounds to earn his eighth double-double of the season. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after the 78-72 loss against Northern Colorado in their last outing. Jack Lopez stood out for Montana, recording 15 points, four rebounds, and one steal.
Baskets could be hard to come by as Nevada ranks 22nd in the nation, allowing just 98.0 points per 100 possessions, while Montana is 35th (99.6).
The Wolf Pack have gone 19-13 Straight Up (SU) and 15-15 Against The Spread (ATS). The Wolf Pack are an exceptional shooting team from the line with a .732 free throw percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. The Wolf Pack have a distinct advantage on the boards in this matchup. They are the 16th-ranked rebounding team in Division I, averaging 40.9 per game, while the Grizzlies rank 242nd in the nation with 34.9 per game. Nevada’s three-point defense can be considered one of the best in the nation, allowing just 6.0 three-pointers per game.
As for their opponent, the Grizzlies have 21-11 SU and 15-12-2 ATS records. Montana’s defense is one of the top in the nation, with opponents shooting only .428 from the field.
Predictions: SU Winner – Nevada, ATS Winner – Nevada
Notes
“Nevada is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home”.
“Nevada is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home”.
“The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Nevada’s last 8 games at home”.
“Nevada is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games “.
“The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Nevada’s last 6 games “.
The Nevada Wolf Pack have a defensive rating of 98.0 (ranked 22nd), while the Montana Grizzlies have an offensive rating of 107.9 (ranked 124th).
Montana has an average field goal percentage of 46.0%. Nevada is a poor 2-4 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Nevada Wolf Pack rank higher based on their field goal percentage (289th) than their effective field goal percentage (324th). The Montana Grizzlies rank higher based on their effective field goal percentage (53rd) than their field goal percentage (70th).
Nevada, the sixth-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.7 per game. Montana ranks lower at 280th with 2.6.
Nevada ranks 61st in offensive rebounding. Montana ranks 150th in defensive rebounding.
Nevada makes an average of 7.2 steals per game. When Montana gives up 7 or more steals, the team has an even 8-8 record.
