by Amedeus Mastrangelo
Friday, Dec 31, 2021
Game Time: 2:00 pm ET, Friday, December 31, 2021
Venue: People's United Center, Hamden, CT
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Niagara +2, Quinnipiac -2; Over/Under: 134 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Niagara +2, Quinnipiac -2; Over/Under: 134 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Niagara +1.5, Quinnipiac -1.5; Over/Under: 134.5 points
Season Record
Niagara Purple Eagles: 5-6 (9th place, MAAC)
Quinnipiac Bobcats: 6-4 (5th place, MAAC)
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Niagara Purple Eagles vs Quinnipiac Bobcats Preview and Analysis
Recent Form
Niagara Purple Eagles: 2-3 last 5
Quinnipiac Bobcats: 3-2 last 5
Niagara Purple Eagles Analysis
Niagara is coming into this game with a 5-6 record overall and they are 2-3 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. This will be their 3rd conference matchup of the year and they are currently 0-2 in their conference games this season. Their last loss was against the Eastern Michigan Eagles but they have gone on a 2 game winning streak since then with wins coming against the Buffalo State Bengals and the Albany Great Danes in their last game. Marcus Hammond led the team in points in that game with 20 while Jordan Cintron and Greg Kuakumensah off the bench were both next on the team with 12 points each. Noah Thomasson led the team in assists in that game with 4 while Cintron led the team in rebounds with 8. They are 45.5% from the field, 35.7% from 3-point range, and 77.1% from the free throw line with their shooting this season. Their offense is averaging 68.6 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 63.9 PPG against them. Niagara has an ATS record of 6-4 this season and their O/U record is 3-7.
Quinnipiac Bobcats Analysis
Quinnipiac is coming into this game with a 6-4 record overall and they are 4-2 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. This will be the 3rd conference matchup on their schedule this year and they are currently 1-1 in their conference games this season. Their last loss was against the Saint Peter's Peacocks but they have gone on a 3 game winning streak since then with wins coming against the Manhattan Jaspers, the Dartmouth Big Green, and the Maine Black Bears in their last game. Bernie Blunt led the team in points in that game with 14 while Dezi Jones was next on the team off the bench with 11 points. Jones also led the team in assists in that game with 3 while Jacob Rigoni led the team in rebounds with 5. They are 44.4% from the field, 34.4% from 3-point range, and 73.8% from the free throw line with their shots this season. Their offense is averaging 74.8 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 68.2 PPG against them. Quinnipiac has an ATS record of 4-5 this season and their O/U record is 4-5.
Niagara vs Quinnipiac Prediction
Quinnipiac is coming into this game as a 2 point favorite with the current betting odds according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Quinnipiac has been playing well in their recent games with 3 straight wins and a winning record at home this season. Niagara is also on a 2 game win streak but they have a losing record on the road this season and they are already 0-2 in their conference games. Quinnipiac has a better offense and they should be able to edge out Niagara in this game as they have struggled in conference play. The best bet to place in this game is on Quinnipiac to cover the spread here.
Niagara Quinnipiac Prediction: Our NCAAB Pick for Friday, December 31, 2021 (2:00 pm ET start time) is Quinnipiac 67 Niagara 62.
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NCAAB Betting Trends
Niagara Purple Eagles: 23-38 O/U in all games. 44-63 O/U when the total is 130 to 139.5. 17-29 O/U as an underdog. 11-19 O/U as a road underdog or pick. 11-23 O/U in road games. 15-25 O/U against conference opponents. 1-5 O/U when playing with 7 or more days rest.
Quinnipiac Bobcats: 7-12 O/U as a home favorite or pick. 2-9 O/U in a home game where the total is 130 to 134.5. 17-22 O/U against conference opponents. 4-7 O/U in December games. 7-13 O/U after a non-conference game. 8-15 O/U after 2 straight games giving up 9 or less offensive rebounds.
Key Injuries
Niagara Purple Eagles: None.
Quinnipiac Bobcats: None.
Notable Quotes
“The run that we had there, right in the middle of the second half, where we had some tremendous 50-50 balls, offensive rebounds and some extra passes and just making some winning plays, I thought that gave us a little bit of distance.” - Greg Paulus on his team’s win against Albany.
“Rebounding and getting the ball inside is a point of emphasis for us.” - Baker Dunleavy after his team’s win against Maine.
Starting Lineups
Niagara Purple Eagles
R. Brown III
J. Cintron
M. Hammond
S. Iorio
N. Thomasson
Quinnipiac Bobcats
T. Chenery
D. Jones
K. Marfo
J. Rigoni
T. Williams
Statistical Leaders
Niagara Purple Eagles
PPG: M. Hammond (17.5)
APG: N. Thomasson (2.9)
Reb/G: S. Iorio (5.2)
Quinnipiac Bobcats
PPG: M. Balanc (16.2)
APG: S. Lewis (4.1)
Reb/G: K. Marfo (10.8)
Coaches:
Niagara Purple Eagles: Greg Paulus (3rd season)
Quinnipiac Bobcats: Baker Dunleavy (5th season)
Amedeus Mastrangelo
About the Author:
Amedeus Mastrangelo has been heavily wagering on all sports for years and plays just about everything, including sides, totals, favorites, underdogs, against the spread, alternative spreads, first half, second half, player props, and futures. The bottom line is, if Mastrangelo can see an edge in any way shape or form, then he's going to take advantage.
