The Drexel Dragons (6-6) go head-to-head against the Temple Owls (9-2) at Palestra. The game gets underway at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 22, 2018.
Temple Owls at Drexel Dragons Betting Prediction
In the Owls’ last game, they beat the La Salle Explorers, 75-67. The Owls had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (39.5 vs. 12.5) and had a much better free throw rate (0.456 vs. 0.242). Temple was led by Nate Pierre-Louis, who contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Dragons were beaten by the Eastern Michigan Eagles in their last outing, 66-62. Eastern Michigan’s 12.4 turnover percentage was their biggest advantage over Drexel, who had a mark of 16.3. Drexel’s Kurk Lee put up 13 points in the contest.
After the Owls won the lone contest against the Dragons last season, 63-60, these teams will go head-to-head for the first time this year. One of Temple’s largest strengths was their ability to convert at the free throw line. They were 11-13 (84.6 percent), while the Dragons were just 5-10 (50.0 percent).
Both teams have had a player step their game up over their last five games. Pierre-Louis (0 points) has been stellar for the Owls while Alihan Demir (0 points) has made solid contributions to the Dragons.
The sharp-shooting offense of Drexel will face off against the mid-tier defense of Temple. The Dragons rank 55th in effective field goal percentage (0.551), while the Owls are 246th in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.518). The Dragons figure to have the advantage on that side of the ball. The Owls should be expected to protect the ball well. They rank 21st at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 15.8 percent), while the Dragons force the 25th-fewest turnovers in the nation (opponents’ turnover percentage of 16.0 percent).
Temple Owls vs. Drexel Dragons Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Temple, ATS Winner – Drexel, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes:
Temple ranks 11th in steals per game (9.3) while Drexel ranks 185th (4.4).
The Owls rank 24th in blocks allowed per game (2.4) while the Dragons rank 133rd (4.2).
Drexel ranks 32nd in rebounds allowed per game (31.3) while Temple ranks 111th (34.5).
The Owls rank 48th in assists allowed per game (11.3) while the Dragons rank 114th (13.1).
Bettings Trends:
The Owls’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 7.2, up from 5.1 for the season.
During their last five games, the Dragons have scored an average of 84.2 points per game (3.5 above their season average) and allowed an average of 70.6 points per game (6.9 below their season average).
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