The East Tennessee State Buccaneers (19-6, 9-3 SoCon) and their phenomenal offense head to Furman to play the Paladins (19-5, 8-4 SoCon) and their stifling defense. Action begins at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 9, 2019.
East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs. Furman Paladins Betting Odds
In their last matchup, the Paladins dismantled the Western Carolina Catamounts, 64-45, while the Buccaneers lost a close one to the Wofford Terriers, 78-76.
Furman dominated every facet of the game. They had a turnover percentage of 17.6 (worse than their season average of 15.9) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.465 (below their season average of 0.558). For those same stats, Western Carolina had marks of 28.3 and 0.363, respectively. East Tennessee State, on the other hand, held Wofford to an offensive rebounding percentage of 21.9 (below their season average of 35.0). Furman was lifted by Matt Rafferty, who recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jeromy Rodriguez, meanwhile fueled East Tennessee State with 15 points and 17 rebounds.
In their first matchup this season, Rodriguez led the Buccaneers to a 79-56 win. He registered a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. East Tennessee State’s effective field goal percentage was its biggest advantage over Furman. The Buccaneers had a rate of 0.670 while the Paladins posted a mark of 0.417.
This matchup pits one of the country’s top offenses against one of its elite defenses. Furman ranks 57th in offensive efficiency and East Tennessee State is 29th in defensive efficiency. Furthermore, the Buccaneers rank 326th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.182), while the Paladins rank fifth in opponents’ FTA rate (0.153).
East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs. Furman Paladins Betting Pick
Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Furman, ATS Winner – Furman, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- Furman averages 29.3 three pointers per game, which ranks sixth in the nation. East Tennessee State ranks 189th in three pointers allowed per game (23.6).
- The Paladins average 4.0 blocks per game, which ranks 59th in the country. The Buccaneers rank 137th in blocks allowed per game (3.7).
- Furman ranks 26th in assists per game (16.3) while East Tennessee State ranks 88th in assists allowed per game (12.3).
- The Paladins rank 11th in steals per game (9.0) while the Buccaneers rank 151st in steals allowed per game (6.8).
- East Tennessee State averages 41.8 rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in the nation. Furman ranks 122nd in rebounds allowed per game (34.3).
Bettings Trends:
- During their last five games, the Buccaneers have scored an average of 77.2 points per game (2.8 below their season average) and allowed an average of 70.4 points per game (3.3 above their season average).
- The Paladins’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 10.6, down from 11.8 for the season.
