The NIT battle between the Baylor Bears (18-14) and the Wagner Seahawks (23-9) will be played at Ferrell Center. Baylor opened as an 18.5-point favorite, while the game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 141.5 points. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 13, 2018, and it can be seen on ESPN2.
Wagner Seahawks at Baylor Bears Free Preview
In the Seahawks’ last outing, they fell to the LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds, 71-61. Devin Liggeons had a solid performance for Wagner, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds. LIU Brooklyn had a free throw rate of 0.340 (above their season average of 0.263). Wagner, meanwhile, had an offensive rebounding percentage of 41.5 (above their season average of 35.9).
The Bears are trying to rebound after their 78-65 loss to the No. 18 West Virginia Mountaineers in their last contest. Manu Lecomte was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points on 7-for-12 shooting. West Virginia’s offensive rebounding percentage was their biggest advantage over Baylor. The Mountaineers had a rate of 31.4 (below their season average of 37.0), while the Bears posted a mark of 21.2 (below their season average of 35.9).
It could be a mistake-prone game for the Baylor offense. Baylor ranks 257th in the nation in ball protection (turnover percentage of 19.6 percent), while the ball-hawking defense of Wagner forces the 60th-most turnovers in the NCAA (20.9 percent).
In terms of the O/U total, these teams are complete opposites. Wagner games have finished over 75.0 percent of the time, while 56.0 percent of games involving Baylor have gone under. The Seahawks have the superior straight up (SU) record (23-9 vs. 18-14), but the Bears hold the substantial advantage against the spread (ATS) (14-11 vs. 5-4).
Wagner Seahawks vs. Baylor Bears Betting Prediction
Prediction: SU Winner – Baylor, ATS Winner – Baylor, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Bears rank 39th in rebounds allowed per game (32.2) while the Seahawks rank 97th (33.6).
- Wagner ranks 32nd in assists allowed per game (11.2) while Baylor ranks 217th (14.5).
- The Seahawks rank 105th in three pointers attempted per game (23.1) while the Bears rank 266th (18.0).
- Wagner ranks 68th in blocks per game (4.0) while Baylor ranks 205th in blocks allowed per game (4.3).
Bettings Trends:
- The Bears have been outscored by an average of 4.2 points in their last five games. For the season, Baylor has defeated opponents by an average of 5.7 points.
- During their last five games, the Seahawks have scored an average of 67.0 points per game (7.7 below their season average) and allowed an average of 66.2 points per game (1.8 below their season average).
