The Sacred Heart Pioneers (18-12, 11-6 NEC) welcome the LIU Sharks (14-16, 9-8 NEC) to William Pitt Center – West Gym as the regular season finishes up. The game is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 29, 2020.
LIU Sharks at Sacred Heart Pioneers ATS Odds
Both teams defeated their last opponent. The Pioneers defeated the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers 73-63, while the Sharks beat the Wagner Seahawks 74-66.
LIU played a nearly flawless game. They had an extraordinary free throw rate of 0.388 (above their season average of 0.232) and an offensive rebounding percentage of 35.7 (above their season average of 22.3). For those same stats, Wagner was 0.167 and 21.4, respectively. The Pioneers, on the other hand, knocked down 17 of their 23 free throws (73.9 percent) and had an offensive rebounding percentage of 43.6 (above their season average of 34.6). E.J. Anosike was a key piece for Sacred Heart with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, Jack Ballantyne had a good outing for LIU, recording 18 points and 12 rebounds.
In their first matchup this year, Anosike led the Pioneers to an 80-72 win. He registered a double-double with 26 points and 22 rebounds. Sacred Heart’s rebounding was their biggest advantage. The Pioneers had more offensive rebounds (15 vs. 6), defensive rebounds (33 vs. 21) and total rebounds (48 vs. 27).
Expect Sacred Heart to dominate the offensive glass in this contest. The Pioneers rank 19th in offensive rebounding percentage (34.9 percent), while LIU ranks 295th in defensive rebounding percentage (69.5 percent).
LIU Sharks vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers Free Pick
Prediction: SU Winner – Sacred Heart, ATS Winner – Sacred Heart, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Sacred Heart averages 40.8 rebounds per game, which ranks ninth in the country. LIU ranks 274th in rebounds allowed per game (39.4).
- The Pioneers rank 56th in blocks per game (4.1) while the Sharks rank 124th in blocks allowed per game (3.5).
- LIU ranks 113th in steals per game (6.7) while Sacred Heart ranks 155th in steals allowed per game (6.7).
- The Sharks average 14.3 assists per game, which ranks 66th in the nation. The Pioneers rank 239th in assists allowed per game (14.6).
- LIU ranks 17th in three pointers attempted per game (27.7) while Sacred Heart ranks 142nd in three pointers allowed per game (21.5).
Bettings Trends:
- The Pioneers’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 5.4, up from 4.3 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Sharks have scored an average of 76.0 points per game (0.6 below their season average) and allowed an average of 77.6 points per game (0.9 above their season average).
