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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