We’re back with a Monday Free Play for everyone! So far this season we’re up 34.44 Units in college basketball. We had an 8-0 Sweep on Thursday and avoided the Saturday scaries to keep the momentum rolling. We’re also 3-0 on Theoddsbreakers.com Free plays so far this season.
My Free play features The Battle of the Hawks with the Umass-Lowell Riverhawks (19-6 Overall, 7-4 America East) traveling to Hartford, Connecticut to take on the Hartford Hawks (5-18 Overall, Independent). The line sits at Umass-Lowell -16.5 with an Over/Under at 136.5. They will tip it off at 6:00 ET.
This one looks like an obvious mismatch on paper with Hartford checking in at 361st out of 363 in AdjEM accoridng to KenPom. UMass-Lowell is middle of the road checking in at 153rd overall. Hartford is averaging a meager 64.0 Points per game. Guard, Briggs McClain leads the Hawks with 15.8 points per game on 42.9% shooting. UMass-Lowell is averaging 77.9 Points per game good for 44th nationally. The Riverhawks are led by Senior Guard Everette Hammond with 12.7 Points Per Game.
These two teams met twice last season winning with Umass-Lowell winning both match-ups by ten points 85-75 and 83-73. UMass-Lowell is much improved versus last year especially on the offensive side of the ball. UMass-Lowell struggled on the road in January as they didn’t win a single road game going 0-4 for the month. They seemed to get right against NJIT at home putting up 90 their last time out. If Umass-Lowell has one weakness on offense it’s turning the ball over as they do so on 21.4% of possessions. They only turned it over 8 times against NJIT and it led to the large offensive output. I don’t see Hartford forcing them into many either. Hartford lost a slugfest to Chicago State 62-49 on Saturday where they went 4 for 21 from deep and only had 5 made free throws. Hartford has gotten a decent offensive output against some faster paced teams this season albeit ones not quite as strong on the defensive side of the ball as the Riverhawks. They scored (73) against Stonehill, 84 against Morgan State, and 71 against Sacred Heart recently. They’re 0-10 on the road so they should put forth a better showing in Hartford.
I look for UMass-Lowell to keep the momentum rolling in this one and try and get out and run early and often against this Hartford squad. I think Hartford will have to up the tempo as well before too long. I’ve got this one at 79-62, but like it wouldn’t shock me to see the Riverhawks approach 90.
Take the Over 136.5 for 2 Units.
