The Chattanooga Mocs (6-9, 0-2 SoCon) will try to put an end to the five-game winning streak of East Tennessee State when they welcome the Buccaneers (11-4, 2-0 SoCon) to McKenzie Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 6, 2018.
East Tennessee State Buccaneers at Chattanooga Mocs Free Preview
In the Buccaneers last game, they easily got past the Samford Bulldogs, 90-72. Desonta Bradford led East Tennessee State in scoring with 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting. The Buccaneers had an extraordinary effective field goal percentage of 0.716 (above their season average of 0.522) and had a free throw rate of 0.333 (above their season average of 0.243).
The Mocs are trying to rebound after their 75-63 loss to the Western Carolina Catamounts in their last matchup. Makinde London was Chattanooga’s high scorer with 22 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Western Carolina had an offensive rebounding percentage of 47.2 (above their season average of 30.3). Chattanooga, on the other hand, had a better effective field goal percentage (0.550 vs. 0.484).
The inefficient offense of Chattanooga will clash against the top-notch defense of East Tennessee State. The Mocs currently rank 268th in offensive efficiency, while the Buccaneers are 55th in defensive efficiency. The Buccaneers figure to have the edge on that side of the ball.
This is the first time these teams will battle this year, after the Buccaneers won both matchups last season. In the last game, East Tennessee State won 65-51. The Buccaneers played a nearly perfect game. They had an extraordinary effective field goal percentage of 0.606 and a turnover percentage of 24.5. For those same stats, the Mocs recorded marks of 0.489 and 27.4, respectively.
East Tennessee State Buccaneers at Chattanooga Mocs Odds Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Chattanooga, ATS Winner – Chattanooga, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- The Buccaneers average 3.9 blocks per game, which ranks 81st in the nation. The Mocs rank 109th in blocks allowed per game (3.8).
- Chattanooga ranks sixth in three pointers allowed per game (15.5) while East Tennessee State ranks 180th (23.5).
- The Buccaneers rank 19th in steals per game (8.7) while the Mocs rank 189th (4.8).
- East Tennessee State ranks 128th in rebounds per game (36.5) while Chattanooga ranks 239th (32.7).
Betting Trends:
- The Mocs have been outscored by an average of 11.0 points in their last five games. For the season, Chattanooga has scored an equal number of points as their opponents.
- During their last five games, the Buccaneers have scored an average of 81.6 points per game (4.1 above their season average) and allowed an average of 64.8 points per game (2.6 below their season average).
