The Oakland Golden Grizzlies (19-9) travel to Valparaiso to take on the Crusaders (22-5) in a matchup that pits the 83rd-ranked offense against the top-ranked defense. The game gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Friday, Feb. 19 and will air on ESU and ES3.
The Crusaders dismantled Cleveland State 66-43 on Tuesday. Alec Peters was a key piece, recording his ninth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Golden Grizzlies, meanwhile, are coming off an 89-73 win against Wright State on Monday. Martez Walker was the game’s top scorer, accumulating 22 points on 6-for-10 shooting.
Jalen Hayes has been hot for the Golden Grizzlies, averaging 16.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.0 steal over the past five games.
It will be a battle of strength versus strength, as the prolific offense of the Golden Grizzlies (ninth in the nation with an offensive efficiency of 117.1) takes the court against the stingy defense of the Crusaders (first in the nation with a defensive efficiency of 86.8).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Crusaders winning the first matchup 84-67. Tevonn Walker had a standout performance in the victory, putting up 24 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and six three-pointers.
The Crusaders have gone 22-5 Straight Up (SU) and 14-11 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 7-2-1 ATS. Valparaiso has averaged 89.9 points per game over the last 10 games, higher than its season average of 74.3. The Valparaiso defense has done poorly against opposing offenses during the last 10 games, allowing an average of 80.2 points per game, well above their season average of 58.9. The Crusaders do a great job keeping their opponents off of the glass and limiting second-chance points. They average 29.3 defensive rebounds per game, which ranks 11th in Division I.
In the other locker room, the Golden Grizzlies have 19-9 SU and 17-5-1 ATS records. During the last 10 games, they averaged 75.0 PPG, below their 87.2 PPG season average. Oakland is one of the top foul-shooting teams in the nation, making 20.0 shots from the line per game. When it comes to making good decisions with the ball, not many are better than the Golden Grizzlies. They have one of the top assist-to-turnover ratios in the country at 1.36. The Oakland defense has allowed an average of 58.5 points per game during the last 10 games, lower than their season average of 79.3.
The Crusaders’ win over Oakland in their last game couldn’t give them the edge in the head-to-head record over their most recent meetings, where Oakland still leads 6-4 SU. The Golden Grizzlies also hold the advantage ATS with a record of 6-2. Valparaiso held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers one time in the last five matchups. On the other side of the court, Oakland never accomplished this feat in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – Valpo, ATS Winner – Valpo
Notes
The Oakland Golden Grizzlies are among the highest-scoring squads, earning an average of 87.2 points per game (ranked second). The Valparaiso Crusaders rank second in points allowed with 58.9.
In its last game, Valparaiso won by a margin of 23 points. Oakland is 8-0 in games decided by a margin of 18 points or more. Valparaiso has a 13-0 record in blowouts.
The Valparaiso Crusaders have a defensive rating of 86.8, ranked first in the country. The Oakland Golden Grizzlies have a top-tier offense with an offensive rating of 117.1 (ranked ninth).
Valparaiso has an average field goal percentage of 44.5%. Oakland is a poor 5-8 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Valparaiso Crusaders and the Oakland Golden Grizzlies both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Valparaiso is 158th and 132nd in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Oakland is 98th and 68th in these categories.
Oakland ranks 52nd in assists, recording 15.6 per game. Valparaiso performs worse at 152nd with 13.8 assists per game.
Valparaiso, the 84th-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 4.3 per game. Oakland does worse, ranked 186th with 3.3.
Valparaiso ranks 60th in offensive rebounding. When it comes to defensive rebounds, Oakland ranks 35th.
The Valparaiso Crusaders make an average of 7.3 steals per game. When the Oakland Golden Grizzlies allow 7 or more steals, they are a superb 8-1.
