The No. 9 seed Iona Gaels (10-5) are favored by 5.5 points in the MAAC Tournament semifinals when they meet the No. 5 seed Niagara Purple Eagles (9-10) Friday at Boardwalk Hall, tipping off at 6:00 PM ET on ESPW. The winner moves one game closer to claiming a guaranteed place in the NCAA Tournament bracket.
Betting Information
| Favorite | Spread | Favorite Spread Odds | Underdog Spread Odds | Total | Over Total Odds | Under Total Odds | Favorite Moneyline | Underdog Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iona | -5.5 | -120 | 100 | 132.5 | -115 | -105 | -278 | 220 |
Total Facts
- In 66.7% of their games this year (10 of 15 chances), the Gaels and their opponents have combined to score more than this matchup’s point total of 132.5 points.
- In eight of 19 opportunities (42.1%) this year, Niagara has combined with its opponents to score at least 132.5 points.
- The two teams average a combined 5.4 more points per game (137.9) than this game’s total of 132.5 points.
- Opponents of these teams have averaged a combined 132 points per game, 0.5 fewer than the over/under in this matchup.
- The Gaels average point total in outings this year is 140.3, 7.8 points higher than the over/under in this game.
- Purple Eagles games this year have averaged a total of 129.6 points, 2.9 fewer than the point total in this matchup.
Scoring Betting Tips
- The 73.2 points per game the Gaels record are 8.3 more points than the Purple Eagles give up (64.9).
- When Iona puts up more than 64.9 points, it is 9-0 against the spread and 9-3 overall.
- Niagara has a 1-3 record against the spread and a 1-4 record overall when allowing more than 73.2 points.
- The Purple Eagles put up just 2.4 fewer points than the Gaels give up (67.1).
- Niagara has put together a 5-0 ATS record and a 5-2 overall record in games it scores more than 67.1 points.
- Iona’s record is 5-5 overall and 5-5 against the spread when it allows more than 64.7 points to its opponents.
- The Gaels have totaled 92 more points than their opponents this season (6.1 per game on average), while the Purple Eagles have been out-scored by five total points (0.2 per game average differential).
Iona Betting Information
- Strong against the spread this season, the Gaels have covered 10 times in 15 contests.
- When favored by at least 5.5 points, the Gaels have struggled to a 2-4 record ATS this season.
- Iona has been reliable for the over this season, combining with opponents to hit the total in 8 of 15 games for a 53.3% rate.
Niagara Betting Information
- Niagara has a winning record against the spread, going 11-7 ATS (covering 61.1% of the time).
- When they are at least 5.5-point underdogs, the Purple Eagles have gone 1-1 against the spread.
- In the majority of Niagara’s games this year, the teams have not hit the over (8 out of 18 games, 44.4%).
Head to Head
| Date | Favorite | Spread | Total | Favorite Moneyline | Underdog Moneyline | Game Type | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/29/2020 | Iona | -2.5 | 142.5 | N/A | N/A | Regular Season | 100-91 NIAGRA |
| 1/12/2020 | Iona | -8.5 | 145.5 | -438 | +325 | Regular Season | 70-69 NIAGRA |
| 2/10/2019 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Regular Season | 79-76 IONA |
| 1/11/2019 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Regular Season | 95-90 NIAGRA |
Iona Leaders
- The scoring leader for the Gaels this season is Isaiah Ross, who averages 19.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
- Nelly Junior Joseph is the Gaels leading rebounder, grabbing 7.3 per game, while Asante Gist is their best passer, distributing 3.8 assists in each contest.
- Ross makes more threes per game than any other member of the Gaels, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.8 per contest.
- Berrick JeanLouis and Joseph lead the Gaels on the defensive end, with JeanLouis leading the team in steals averaging 2.5 per game and Joseph in blocks averaging 1.5 per contest.
Niagara Leaders
- Marcus Hammond puts up 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, placing him atop the Purple Eagles’ rebound and assists leaderboards.
- Kobi Nwandu racks up 14.5 points per game to be at the top of the Purple Eagles scoring leaderboard.
- Justin Roberts hits more threes per game than any of his teammates on the Purple Eagles, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 1.8 per outing.
- Hammond (1.1 steals per game) is the steal leader for Niagara while Greg Kuakumensah (1.0 block per game) is the block leader.
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