The No. 13 Marshall Thundering Herd (24-10) square off against the No. 4 Wichita State Shockers (25-7) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 16, 2018.
The game’s Over/Under (O/U) opened at 166 points with Wichita State set as an 11.5-point favorite.
Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Wichita State Shockers ATS Prediction
The Thundering Herd will be hoping for similar success after just getting past the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the , 67-66. Marshall’s turnover percentage was their biggest strength over Western Kentucky. The Thundering Herd had a rate of 11.5 (better than their season average of 15.7), while the Hilltoppers posted a mark of 13.4. Marshall was lifted by Jon Elmore, who was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points on 9-for-21 shooting.
In the , the Shockers lost a tough one against the No. 21 Houston Cougars, 77-74. Houston’s 9.3 turnover percentage was their biggest advantage over Wichita State, who had a mark of 14.9. The Cougars’ mark was better than their season average of 15.4. Wichita State’s Rashard Kelly contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds in the game.
The offensive glass could be a huge advantage for Wichita State in this battle. The Shockers currently rank 14th in offensive rebounding percentage (35.2 percent), while Marshall ranks 290th in defensive rebounding percentage (68.7 percent).
Shaquille Morris has averaged 18.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over the last five games for Wichita State.
Marshall Thundering Herd vs. Wichita State Shockers Betting Pick
Free Basketball Tip: SU Winner – Wichita State, ATS Winner – Marshall, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
Wichita State ranks ninth in rebounds per game (40.5) while Marshall ranks 303rd in rebounds allowed per game (40.6).
The Shockers average 18.5 assists per game, which ranks third in the nation. The Thundering Herd rank 234th in assists allowed per game (14.8).
Marshall ranks 12th in three pointers attempted per game (28.3) while Wichita State ranks 238th in three pointers allowed per game (23.6).
The Thundering Herd rank 77th in steals per game (6.8) while the Shockers rank 243rd (4.7).
Marshall ranks fifth in blocks per game (5.9) while Wichita State ranks 121st in blocks allowed per game (3.3).
Bettings Trends:
The Thundering Herd’s average margin of victory in their last five games has been 4.0, down from 5.4 for the season.
During their last five games, the Shockers have scored an average of 76.6 points per game (6.4 below their season average) and allowed an average of 73.8 points per game (2.5 above their season average).
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