TOM STRYKER’S FREE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SELECTION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD
#644 AKRON (-5) over Miami (OH) at 2 PM EST
Off three consecutive straight up losses to Buffalo, Ball State and Bowling Green and with a war against the UB Bulls on deck, Akron will go after this revenge victory with everything it’s got. Miami enters this MAC battle off a huge home upset win over Ball State and this will be a tough encore for the RedHawks.
If the losses to the Bulls, Cardinals and Falcons won’t have the Zips motivated, then the simple fact that head coach John Groce’s boys own a dismal 2-8 SU and 1-9 ATS record in the last 10 meetings in this series will be more than enough to do the trick. Also, when hosting a MAC foe that checks in off a pointspread win, UA carries a reliable 60-40-2 ATS mark in its last 102 lined games including a lucrative 52-30-2 ATS record if it is favored. In addition, when competing inside the JAR (James A. Rhodes Arena) off three or more straight up losses, the Zips sport a respectable 11-6-1 ATS mark in their last 18 games and have quietly won 12 straight in this role by an average of 10.1 points per game.
Kudos to the RedHawks for their upset win over the Cardinals. Unfortunately, this will be a difficult spot for Miami. In the regular season fighting with four or more days rest and hitting the hardwood off a straight up win, the RedHawks have posted a soft 64-87-3 ATS record. Provided Miami is currently competing against an opponent that checks in off a straight up loss, this team trend falls to a dismal 24-45-2 ATS including 12-31 ATS in this run if the RedHawks hold a team won/loss percentage of .500 or better. With those three parameters live and head coach Jack Owens’ kids facing a foe that arrives with four or more days’ of rest, this situation bottoms out at an ugly 6-23-1 ATS.
Defensively, the Zips own the NCAA’s 15th-ranked scoring “D” allowing an average of only 62.7 points per game and they have dominated conference foes at the JAR (59-14 SU since 2011). This is one revenge play that will work like a charm. Take Akron. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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