It will be a battle between Summit League opponents when the Western Illinois Leathernecks (7-13) welcome the Omaha Mavericks (15-8) to Western Hall. The game starts at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Feb. 3 and will air on ES3.
The Leathernecks lost big to IPFW 88-67 on Sunday. Jabari Sandifer put together a strong game for the Leathernecks, finishing with 11 points, six assists, and four rebounds. The Mavericks, meanwhile, are coming off a 96-83 win over South Dakota on Saturday. Jake White stood out for Omaha, recording 24 points, seven rebounds, and one block.
White has been on a tear over the last five games for the Mavericks, averaging 22.0 points and 7.2 rebounds.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Mavericks won the first game 82-80. Despite the loss, Tate Stensgaard was a top performer in the game with 26 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Western Illinois, a five-point underdog, will look to capitalize at home against Omaha. The teams combine to set the Over/Under (O/U) at 158 points. The Leathernecks are looking to improve on their records of 7-13 Straight Up (SU) and 7-9 Against The Spread (ATS). The Leathernecks are an impressive shooting team from three-point range with a .390 three-point field goal percentage, one of the highest marks in Division I. Turning to the defensive side, the Leathernecks have limited opponents’ efforts from beyond the arc, allowing 6.0 three-pointers made per game.
Across the court, Omaha has a SU record of 15-8 and an ATS record of 12-7. The Mavericks rank sixth in the country in scoring, averaging 85.2 points per game. The Mavericks are getting to the foul line at a high rate. Their 464 free throws made ranks second in Division I. When it comes to stealing the ball, the Mavericks are one of the best in the nation with an average of 9.4 steals per game.
Omaha won the last meeting this season between these two teams, but Western Illinois still leads the head-to-head record, 6-3 SU, over their most recent matchups. Additionally, Western Illinois leads the matchup ATS with a record of 5-2. When it comes to field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers, neither team was able to hold the advantage in all three of these categories over their past five meetings against one another.
Predictions: SU Winner – NEOma, ATS Winner – WestIl, O/U – Over
Notes
Omaha is one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 85.2 points per game (ranked sixth). Western Illinois, on the other hand, allows 69.7 points per game (ranked 135th).
Western Illinois lost its last game by a 21-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Omaha is 3-0. Western Illinois is 5-3 in blowouts this season.
Omaha beats Western Illinois in both possessions per game and points per possession. The Mavericks average 77.5 possessions and 1.099 points per possession, while the Leathernecks average 67.8 possessions with 1.037 points per possession.
Omaha has an average effective field goal percentage of 51.4%. Western Illinois has not won a game this season when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage (0-9).
Omaha ranks 157th in offensive rebounds, while Western Illinois ranks at 82nd in defensive rebounds.
On average, Western Illinois forces a turnover rate of 16.3%. When Omaha turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has an exceptional 11-3 record.
