The Towson Tigers (14-7) visit the Drexel Dragons (3-16) in what should be a low-scoring game. Action begins at 7:00 pm ET on Thursday, Jan. 28.
The Dragons are hoping to rebound after their 77-71 loss to UNC Wilmington on Sunday. Rodney Williams was the team’s leading scorer with 17 points. The Tigers, meanwhile, are coming off a 79-72 win against Northeastern on Saturday. John Davis claimed his first double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams square off. Drexel ranks 297th in possessions per game (66.8), while Towson is 299th (66.8). Furthermore, the defense of the Tigers should have an advantage in terms of eFG%. They’re 22nd in the nation in forcing misses (opponents’ eFG% of 44.4%), while the offense of the Dragons ranks 344th in eFG% (42.4%).
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Tigers winning the first matchup 69-50. Arnaud William Adala Moto put up a double-double in the victory with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Towson is a slim one-point favorite over Drexel. The matchup has an estimated Over/Under (O/U) of 123 points. The Dragons come into this game 3-16 Straight Up (SU) and 8-9-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Drexel’s three-point defense can be considered one of the best in the nation, allowing just 5.0 three-pointers per game.
Over on the other bench, the Tigers have 14-7 SU and 6-7 ATS records. The Tigers get to the line and convert their free throws at a high volume, ranking 11th in the nation with 390 made (18.0 per game). The Tigers have controlled the glass with an average of 40.9 rebounds per game, 31st in the country. Shifting to the other side of the court, the Tigers allow just 64.1 points per game, ranking them 31st in the nation. The Towson defense has been a problem for competitors, allowing only .392 shooting from the field to its opponents. Blocking shots is an area where Towson has excelled. The Tigers average 5.0 blocks per game, making them one of the best in the nation.
With the Tigers’ last win against Drexel, they evened up the head-to-head record over their most recent meetings, 5-5 SU. The Tigers lead the matchup ATS with a record of 5-4-1. Drexel held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers once, while Towson was never able to do so in their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Towson, ATS Winner – Towson, O/U – Over
Notes
Drexel is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Drexel’s last 15 games.
Drexel is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home.
Drexel is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games at home.
Drexel is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Towson.
Drexel is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Towson.
Drexel is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against Towson.
Towson sits at 5-3 SU against the conference, while Drexel is 1-7 SU.
Drexel scores just 63.2 points per home game (ranked 340th). Towson ranks 67th in points allowed on the road, giving up 69.9 points.
Drexel averages 66.8 possessions per game, scoring .948 points on each possession. While Towson averages fewer possessions per game with 66.8, they score more points per possession with 1.063.
Towson has an average effective field goal percentage of 46.5%. Drexel is a subpar 1-13 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Towson, the 41st-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 5.0 per game. Drexel does worse, ranked 105th with 4.1.
When it comes to offensive rebounds, Towson ranks 14th. Drexel ranks 326th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Drexel forces a turnover rate of 19.7%. When Towson turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a stellar 7-2 record.
