Bucknell Bison – March Madness Team Predictions, Odds and Preview 2017

Bucknell Bison (Overall: 26-8, Conf: 15-3)

College Basketball News and Previews

2017 NCAA March Madness Final Four Preview

Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. South Carolina Gamecocks Preview

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Oregon Ducks Preview

Team Strengths:

Patriot League juggernauts the Bucknell Bison, who are decently priced at +35,000 to win the national title, won their third-consecutive regular-season title and sixth in seven seasons without losing back-to-back contests during their campaign. They also carry a solid six-game win streak heading into the Big Dance, capped off with a dominant 81-65 win over rival Lehigh in the conference championship game.

Junior center Nana Foulland, the Patriot League’s Defensive and overall Player of the Year, embodies the team’s principles of finding and converting good looks at the basket. Foulland shot a sweet 62.8 percent from the field this season, with the Bison as a whole ranking in the nation’s top 25 with a team field-goal percentage of 48.1 percent.

Team Weaknesses:

Despite lording over the Patriot League for the past few years, Bucknell has only made it to the NCAA tournament thrice since 2010, and as a double-digit-seeded entry on all three occasions at that. With a win over Vanderbilt being the biggest non-conference victory this season, the Bison might be biting off more than they can chew when they take on more competitive schools in the Big Dance, beginning with the West Region’s No. 4 seed and Big 12 conference championship finalists West Virginia.

WVU, mind you, employs a stingy defense that forces opponents to turn the ball over on over a fourth of their possessions (an NCAA-best 28.1 percent). Bucknell’s unfamiliarity with the “Press Virginia” scheme of the Mountaineers might very well lead to the team’s downfall this week.

Team Stats:

CATEGORY | STAT / G | NCAA RANK
Points | 76.1 | 87th
Rebounds | 34.4 | 234th
Assists | 14.6 | 85th
Steals | 7.2 | 53rd
Blocks | 3.8 | 99th
Field goal percentage | 48.1 | 21st
Three-point percentage | 37.7 | 55th
Free throw percentage | 67.9 | 260th
Turnovers | 13.3 | 199th

Starting Lineup:

POSITION | NAME | PPG
C | Nana Foulland | 14.9
F | Zach Thomas | 16.0
G | Stephen Brown | 11.0
G | Kimbral MacKenzie | 11.5
G | Nate Jones | 3.7

Writer’s Prediction:

Make that three-straight first-round eliminations in the final tournament of the year for Bucknell (+35,000).

Create a betting account now to win big from all the heart-stopping March Madness action!

2,376 total views

The post Bucknell Bison – March Madness Team Predictions, Odds and Preview 2017 appeared first on Sports Betting Tips, News, and Analysis.