Providence is coming off a stellar run in the Big East Tournament, and while the Friars failed to win it all, they are heading into Friday’s showdown with Texas A&M focused. The Aggies also fell short of wining the SEC title, but are the higher seed in this matchup. Read on for a preview of this game below and register here to make your pick.
Betting Preview for the Providence Friars vs Texas A&M Aggies College Basketball Championship Tournament Round 1 Game on March 16 2018
The Friars made it to the Big East title game and forced an overtime in a 76-66 loss to eventual Big Dance top-seed Villanova. That and previous wins over Villanova and Xavier (another No. 1 seed in the National Tournament) say a lot about the Friars being a dangerous opponent for any team. They lost to some bd teams too (Minnesota, Massachusetts, DePaul), so that also sends a message about Providence’s unpredictability. But judging from their 4-2 SU record in their last six games, Providence looks like it’s poised to make a run or at least win against Texas A&M. Kyron Cartwright has been hot of late with 34 points total in their last two games against Villanova and Xavier. Him and Rodney Bullock will have to come up big for the Friars who are averaging 73.7 points per game.
Betting on the Texas A&M Aggies (20-12)
The Aggies are coming off a nightmarish 71-70 last-second loss to Collin Sexton and the Crimson Tide in the second round of the SEC Tournament, which showed their lack of composure in the end-game. That said, Texas A&M should feel confident heading into the Providence game because the Aggies are superior to the Friars in a number of ways. For one, they are higher than Providence in both of KenPom’s offensive )71st) and defensive (12th) ratings. They allow 69.8 points per game and have a stellar rim protection with Texas A&M averaging close to six blocks per contest. Texas A&M should also be able to control the game’s flow with its fantastic rebounding. Bill Kennedy’s squad is third in the nation with 41.3 rebounds per game, which is way better than Providence’s 35.9 boards pr game average. In the Crimson Tide game, Texas A&< won the battle on the glass, 44-33.
Writer’s Prediction
The good side of Providence shows up in a 75-72 win.
