MAAC foes will collide when the Fairfield Stags (5-6) go head-to-head against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks (6-5) at Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard. Fairfield is a 2.5-point favorite on the opening line, while the Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 131 points. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 28, 2017.
Saint Peter’s Peacocks at Fairfield Stags ATS Preview
The last time the Peacocks played, they barely escaped the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers, 71-68. Samuel Idowu led Saint Peter’s in scoring with 20 points on 5-for-10 shooting. Saint Peter’s dominated nearly every facet of the game. They had an absurd free throw rate of 0.426 (above their season average of 0.172) and a turnover percentage of 13.8 (better than their season average of 15.3). St. Francis Brooklyn was 0.264 and 20.8, respectively, for those same stats.
The Stags will look to keep it rolling after beating the New Hampshire Wildcats in their last game, 78-68. Fairfield rallied around Tyler Nelson, who was the top scorer from either team with 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting. The Stags, who came into the game averaging an effective field goal percentage of 0.496, had a mark of 0.549 and had a turnover percentage of 10.8 (better than their season average of 17.2).
It will be a showdown of contrasting tempos as the up-and-down Stags (ranked 93rd in the NCAA in possessions per game) will look to push the more grind-it-out Peacocks (336th in possessions per game).
Of Saint Peter’s 6 games that accepted bets, three have finished over the projected point total, while 5 of Fairfield’s 7 games have finished over the O/U total. The Peacocks have the superior straight up (SU) record (6-5 vs. 5-6), but the Stags hold the clear advantage against the spread (ATS) (4-3 vs. 2-4).
This will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams, after the Peacocks won both contests last season. In the last matchup, Saint Peter’s won 74-55. Saint Peter’s was lights out from beyond the arc (15-25; 60.0 percent). Fairfield, meanwhile, did a terrific job of converting from the free throw line (10-14; 71.4 percent).
Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs. Fairfield Stags Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Saint Peter’s, ATS Winner – Saint Peter’s, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Peacocks rank 42nd in blocks allowed per game (2.6) while the Stags rank 53rd (2.8).
- On the road, Saint Peter’s is 2-4 ATS with 3 overs and 3 unders.
- Fairfield is 2-0 ATS at home with 2 overs and 0 unders.
- Saint Peter’s averages 25.5 three pointers per game, which ranks 53rd in the NCAA. Fairfield ranks 187th in three pointers allowed per game (23.8).
- The Peacocks rank 19th in steals allowed per game (4.9) while the Stags rank 93rd (6.4).
- Saint Peter’s ranks 195th in rebounds allowed per game (37.1) while Fairfield ranks 236th (39.3).
Bettings Trends:
- Fairfield is 1-1 ATS with 2 overs in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, Saint Peter’s is 0-2 ATS with 2 overs.
- The Stags average margin of defeat in their last five games has been 3.0, down from 3.2 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Peacocks have scored an average of 68.8 points per game (2.3 above their season average) and allowed an average of 70.6 points per game (3.4 above their season average).
