The East Tennessee State Buccaneers (23-5, 14-1 SoCon) can prolong an 11-game home winning streak when they clash with the Citadel Bulldogs (9-18, 4-11 SoCon) at Freedom Hall Civic Center. The Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 163 points with East Tennessee State set as a 20.5-point favorite. Action begins at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 20, 2018.
Citadel Bulldogs vs. East Tennessee State Buccaneers Odds Preview
In the Bulldogs last outing, they lost to the VMI Keydets, 75-71. With 23 points on 7-for-12 shooting, Zane Najdawi was Citadel’s high scorer. VMI had a turnover percentage of 12.1 (better than their season average of 19.5). Citadel, meanwhile, had an offensive rebounding percentage of 48.9 (above their season average of 26.6).
The Buccaneers come in on a high note after topping the Western Carolina Catamounts in their last matchup, 72-61. With 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting, Devontavius Payne was the top scorer from either team. The Buccaneers had a ridiculous offensive rebounding percentage of 46.7 (above their season average of 31.9) and had an effective field goal percentage of 0.553 (above their season average of 0.538).
The high-powered offense of East Tennessee State will battle against the mid-tier defense of Citadel. The Buccaneers rank 86th in offensive efficiency, while the Bulldogs are 316th in defensive efficiency. The Buccaneers should have the edge on that end of the court.
These two teams are complete opposites in terms of the O/U total. Games including Citadel have finished over 55.0 percent of the time, while East Tennessee State games have finished under 66.7 percent of the time. The Buccaneers come into this game with a sizable advantage in both straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records. They are 23-5 SU and 16-6-2 ATS, while the Bulldogs are 9-18 SU and 9-10-1 ATS.
Najdawi has been playing at a high level over the last five games for Citadel, averaging 21.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
These teams have already met once this season. In that game, the two teams combined to score 144 points, well under the projected point total of 166.5. The Buccaneers won 73-71, but were unable to cover as 15.5-point favorites. The Buccaneers dominated nearly every facet of the game. They had a ridiculous offensive rebounding percentage of 33.3 and a ridiculous free throw rate of 0.443. The Bulldogs recorded marks of 18.6 and 0.414, respectively, for those same stats. Desonta Bradford recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Citadel Bulldogs vs. East Tennessee State Buccaneers Odds Prediction
Free Basketball Pick: SU Winner – East Tennessee State, ATS Winner – Citadel, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Bulldogs average 34.6 three pointers per game, which ranks second in the nation. The Buccaneers rank 173rd in three pointers allowed per game (22.7).
- East Tennessee State averages 4.1 blocks per game, which ranks 62nd in the nation. Citadel ranks 182nd in blocks allowed per game (4.3).
- Citadel is 4-5-1 ATS on the road with 7 overs and 3 unders.
- East Tennessee State is 7-2-1 ATS at home with 5 overs and 5 unders.
- East Tennessee State ranks 26th in assists allowed per game (11.1) while Citadel ranks 266th (19.6).
- The Buccaneers average 38.0 rebounds per game, which ranks 60th in the NCAA. The Bulldogs rank 297th in rebounds allowed per game (43.3).
- East Tennessee State ranks 25th in steals per game (7.7) while Citadel ranks 210th in steals allowed per game (7.7).
Betting Trends:
- East Tennessee State is 3-2 ATS with 3 unders and 2 overs in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, Citadel is 2-3 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders.
- The Buccaneers average margin of victory in their last five games has been 9.4, down from 11.1 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Bulldogs have scored an average of 84.4 points per game (0.2 above their season average) and allowed an average of 90.0 points per game (0.4 above their season average).
