The Saint Louis Billikens (15-8, 6-4 A10) will be at Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena to square off against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks (10-13, 3-7 A10) in an A10 matchup. Action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, February 8, 2019, and can be seen on ESPN2.
Saint Louis Billikens vs. Saint Joseph’s Hawks Betting Odds
In their last outing, the Hawks were beaten by the La Salle Explorers, 83-69, while the Billikens beat the Dayton Flyers, 73-60.
Saint Louis dominated every stat category in the game. They had a fantastic free throw rate of 0.351 (above their season average of 0.248) and a turnover percentage of 11.2 (better than their season average of 16.9). For those same stats, Dayton recorded marks of 0.204 and 16.5, respectively. Saint Joseph’s, meanwhile, had a better turnover percentage (11.6 vs. 13.2). Charlie Brown had a solid game for Saint Joseph’s with 19 points and five assists. Saint Louis rallied around D.J. Foreman, who had 18 points and nine rebounds.
In their first matchup this year, Javon Bess led the Billikens to a 68-57 win. He produced 20 points and seven rebounds. Saint Louis’ effective field goal percentage was its biggest advantage over Saint Joseph’s. The Billikens had a rate of 0.482 while the Hawks posted a mark of 0.344.
The Billikens’ Hasahn French has been playing at a high level over his last five games, averaging 12 points,10.6 rebounds,2.0 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Brown has averaged 21 points,8.2 rebounds,1.6 steals during that same time frame for the Hawks.
Half-court execution will be at a premium when a pair of the nation’s slowest-paced teams face off. Saint Joseph’s currently ranks 256th in possessions per game (67.9) and Saint Louis is 289th (67.3). Moreover, the defense of the Billikens should have an edge in terms of effective field goal percentage. They rank 27th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage allowed of 0.461, while the Hawks’ offense ranks 304th in effective field goal percentage (0.479).
Saint Louis Billikens at Saint Joseph’s Hawks Odds Pick
Basketball Prediction: SU Winner – Saint Joseph’s, ATS Winner – Saint Joseph’s, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Saint Joseph’s ranks 54th in three pointers attempted per game (25.9) while Saint Louis ranks 269th (18.6).
- The Billikens rank 40th in steals per game (7.8) while the Hawks rank 174th (5.5).
- Saint Joseph’s ranks 23rd in blocks allowed per game (2.4) while Saint Louis ranks 124th (3.6).
- The Billikens rank 54th in assists allowed per game (11.6) while the Hawks rank 232nd (15.4).
- Saint Louis ranks 21st in rebounds per game (39.9) while Saint Joseph’s ranks 196th in rebounds allowed per game (36.5).
Bettings Trends:
- During their last five games, the Hawks have scored an average of 68.2 points per game (1.2 below their season average) and allowed an average of 73.6 points per game (1.0 above their season average).
- The Billikens have been outscored by an average of 1.2 points in their last five games. On the season, Saint Louis has defeated opponents by an average of 3.7 points.
