The Wright State Raiders (24-9, 16-4 Hor) and the Cleveland State Vikings (12-22, 9-12 Hor) clash in the Horizon Conference Tourney at Little Caesars Arena. Action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
Cleveland State Vikings vs. Wright State Raiders ATS Preview
In the Vikings last game, they barely escaped the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 44-43. With 12 points and 11 rebounds, Cleveland State’s Anthony Wright had a solid performance. The Vikings held the Golden Grizzlies to an effective field goal percentage of 0.295 (below their season average of 0.526) and had a better turnover percentage (16.5 vs. 18.6).
The Raiders will look to keep it rolling after defeating the Milwaukee Panthers in their last matchup, 59-53. With 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting, Loudon Love led Wright State in scoring. Wright State dominated nearly every stat category in the game. They had a superb free throw rate of 0.309 (above their season average of 0.264) and an offensive rebounding percentage of 28.9 (below their season average of 29.0). For those same stats, Milwaukee recorded marks of 0.113 and 25.6, respectively.
Wright State should have the edge on the defensive side of the ball. The Raiders currently rank 65th in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.484), while Cleveland State is 185th in effective field goal percentage (0.510). Also, second chance points figure to be few and far between for the Vikings. They rank 328th in the NCAA in offensive rebounding percentage at 22.7 percent, while the Raiders are 41st-best on the defensive glass (defensive rebounding percentage of 75.0 percent).
Grant Benzinger has been playing at a high level over the last five games for Wright State, averaging 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
These two teams have already met twice this season, each winning once. In the most recent game, Benzinger scored a game-high 20 points and the Raiders beat the Vikings 72-63. He also put up six rebounds and five assists. The Raiders played a nearly flawless game. They had a ridiculous free throw rate of 0.391 and a superb effective field goal percentage of 0.587. For those same stats, the Vikings were 0.220 and 0.520, respectively.
Cleveland State Vikings vs. Wright State Raiders Betting Prediction
Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Cleveland State, ATS Winner – Cleveland State, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Vikings rank 37th in steals allowed per game (5.3) while the Raiders rank 93rd (5.9).
- Wright State ranks 108th in rebounds per game (36.2) while Cleveland State ranks 285th (30.4).
- The Raiders rank 69th in assists allowed per game (12.0) while the Vikings rank 238th (15.1).
- Cleveland State averages 24.6 three pointers per game, which ranks 57th in the NCAA. Wright State ranks 163rd in three pointers allowed per game (22.2).
Betting Trends:
- The Raiders average margin of victory in their last five games has been 5.4, down from 6.1 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Vikings have scored an average of 73.4 points per game (4.4 above their season average) and allowed an average of 72.0 points per game (2.7 below their season average).
