BUFFALO vs. KENT STATE, 5:00 PM CST
Happy March my fellow readers and gamblers! The beauty and prestige of March is on full display, but before madness ensues, conference tournaments take the main stage to crown champions and punch tickets. But the field is far from decided, with the MAC stealing attention heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Let’s head to Kent, OH where the Kent State Golden Flashes host the Buffalo Bulls.
The Matchup
The Buffalo Bulls bring their 36th offensive efficiency ranked attack to Kent St., where this Golden Flashes team is led by one of, if not, the best player in the MAC, junior point guard Sincere Carry (18.7 PPG). Buffalo is a team who can just flat-out score, averaging just under 81 points per game. Led by senior forward Jeenathan Williams (19.2 PPG), this Bulls attack has 3 starters averaging over 13 ppg, and sit in the top 15 in points from two-point range and top 70 in points from three-point range.
Kent State has been somewhat of the dark horse in the MAC this season. The Golden Flashes fell into a slump in the middle of the season, but after a loss at Buffalo on 1/21, they were able to rattle off ten straight conference wins and an 8-0-2 ATS record. They are currently jockeying for position of the top seed in the conference tournament, so this game is incredibly important for seeding implications.
THE PICK
That said, I’m refraining for picking a side in this battle. Kent State has been willing to up their tempo against faster-paced conference teams like Buffalo and Toledo. Buffalo is 7-3 to the over in their L10 and the 183rd defensive efficiency rating doesn’t bode well for a low scoring affair. The fast-paced nature of this conference and ability to score at will, I think this total gets us over. Oddsmakers are expecting a close game with KSU -3, which means we could be seeing some extra minutes in OT.
THE PLAY: OVER 145.5 (Play to 147)