BYU Cougars vs Valparaiso Crusaders NIT Tournament Semifinal Betting Preview & Odds
On to the semifinals of the NIT Tournament and we will see the BYU Cougars take on the Valparaiso Crusaders at Madison Square Garden in New York. ESPN will carry this game, which has a start time of 7:00 pm EST.
Current betting odds for this game have the have the Crusaders listed as 2 point favorites, while the total has been set at 147.
The BYU Cougars had another solid year, but it just wasn’t enough to imperess the committee to give them an invite to the Big Dance, so here they are in the NIT Tournament and they have rattled off 3 solid wins to make it to the Semis in beating UAB by 18 points, Virginia Tech by 3 and Creighton by 6. They have now gone 9-2 SU in their last 10 games, with both losses coming at the hands of Gonzaga. The Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games, but just 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS win and 16-36 ATS in their last 52 neutral site games. BYU has five players that average at least 7.8 ppg and are led by Chase Fischer’s 18.2 ppg, while Nick Emery is 2nd at 16.2 ppg. Kyle Collinsworth leads the team in rebounding at 8.4 ppg and averages 15.3 ppg, which is 3rd on the team. Kyle Davis (46.7%) and Zac SelJaas (51.5%) are the team’s best long range threats and they average 12.1 ppg and 7.4 ppg respectively. Overall this is a strong offensive team that comes in ranked 6th in the nation in scoring, putting up 84.0 ppg, while ranking 56th in shooting overall and 29th from beyond the arc, but they struggle at the stripe, where they rank 205th. On defense they check in at 20-1st in points allowed, giving up 72.8 ppg, but they do rank 73rd in defensive FG% overall and 95th in 3-point defense. The Cougars come in ranked 15th the nation in rebounding, while committing just 11.6 turnovers per game (76th) and forcing 12.9 turnovers per game (135th).
The Valparaiso Crusaders were the Horizon League but a loss to Green Bay in the conference tournament put them here in the NIT, rather than the Big Show. Valpo got here by beating Texas Southern 84-73, Florida State 81-69 and St Mary’s 60-44. They will need the same defensive intensity that they played vs the Gaels in this one vs the high-powered Cougars. The Crusaders are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games, but just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Valpo has 7 players that average at least 6.3.ppg and they are led by Alec Peters, who averages 18.5 ppg and also leads the team in rebounding at 8.4 rpg, plus he hits 44.8% from long range and 85.2% from the charity stripe. The only other player to average in double figures is Keith Carter at 10.3 ppg. The Crusaders are a decent offensive team that comes in ranked 116th in the nation in scoring, putting up 75.7 ppg, while also ranking 161st in shooting overall, 114th from long range and 74th from the charity stripe. The defense is where this team’s bread is buttered as they come in ranked 9th in the nation in points allowed, giving up just 62.2 ppg, while also ranking 3rd defensive FG% overall and 77th in 3-point defense. Valpo is is 6th in the nation in rebounding, while they commit 12.9 turnovers per game (210th) and force 12.7 turnovers per game (155th).
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