Expect a defensive struggle when the Rice Owls (8-15) and Charlotte 49ers (8-15) meet at Dale F. Halton Arena. The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 11.
The 49ers are hoping for a better outcome after their 74-69 loss to Old Dominion in their last matchup. Joseph Uchebo recorded 18 points and 19 rebounds, earning his 11th double-double of the year. The Owls, meanwhile, are coming off a 72-65 win against Southern Miss in their last outing. Egor Koulechov claimed his fifth double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Over the last five games, Uchebo has taken his game to another level for the 49ers, averaging 18.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.8 steals.
The 49ers are 14-7 Against The Spread (ATS), but have a SU record of 8-15. They are 3-7 ATS over their last 10 games.
Over on the other bench, the Owls have 8-15 SU and 6-12 ATS records. Most recently, Rice is 7-2 ATS over the last 10 games. The Owls convert their free throws at a high percentage, ranking 31st in the nation at .744.
This is the first meeting of the season for the conference rivals. The last time they played, Charlotte came out on top, but Rice still leads the head-to-head record, 2-1 SU. Furthermore, Rice leads the matchup ATS with a record of 3-0.
Predictions: SU Winner – Char, ATS Winner – Char
Notes
Charlotte averages 75.9 points per game (ranked 99th). Rice, on the other hand, allows 80.4 points per game (ranked 244th).
The Rice Owls average 71.4 possessions per game and 1.064 points per possession. The Charlotte 49ers earn fewer possessions with 71.3, but they score more points with 1.065.
Charlotte has an average effective field goal percentage of 49.4%. Rice is a subpar 3-14 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Charlotte ranks 89th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.20. Rice is ranked lower at 207th with an A/TO of 1.00.
The Charlotte 49ers average 5.9 steals per game. When giving up 5 or more steals, the Rice Owls have a subpar record (7-12) this season.
