No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Thursday, 11/17/11, 7:00 PM EST, TV: ESPN2
Opening Point Spread: Texas A&M -4.5
Current Betting Line: Texas A&M -4.5
Opening Total: 131.5
Current Total: 132.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Texas A&M hits the Big Apple for the first time since the 2007 season and has opened the season with two home victories, including an 83-58 win over Southern on Sunday. The Aggies are playing at a much-higher pace under the direction of first-year head coach Billy Kennedy, averaging 16 fast-break points per game on the young season. One of the players that’s benefiting from the new up-tempo style is forward Ray Turner, who is averaging 20 points and seven rebounds. Texas A&M is 8-1 ATS in November and the ‘under’ is 5-1 in that span.
The Aggies have tallied a 2-1 all-time mark inside Madison Square Garden, as they get ready to complete in the 2K Sports Classic. Texas A&M is certainly talented and was picked to win the Big 12 Conference for the first time in the program’s history. From an offensive standpoint, the team has focused in on scoring in the interior, with nearly 60 percent of its points coming in the paint. Kennedy has tallied a 0-5 record against Mississippi State when leading three different programs against them.
Mississippi State comes in with a 2-1 record and failed to cover the spread as a home favorite in all three contests. The Bulldogs have split their four career games inside tonight’s venue. “Obviously, we are facing a great team in Texas A&M, who was picked to win their conference,” commented Bulldogs head coach Rick Stansbury. “They have a lot of experienced players back from a year ago.” Stansbury currently ranks 11th in the Southeastern Conference in career wins. Mississippi State is 9-4 ATS when playing on a neutral court.
The Bulldogs are paced offensively by guard Dee Bost, who comes in averaging 17.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, sitting 24th in school history with 1,172 points. Mississippi State also has a talented guard in Rodney Hood, scoring 12.3 points and grabbing 5.7 boards per game, becoming the first true freshman to score in double-digits in his first three games inside the program. Stansbury has enjoyed great success in November, posting a 51-18 mark.
Bettors will likely back the Bulldogs due to their 3-0-1 ATS mark as an underdog, while the Aggies are 3-7 ATS following a straight-up win.
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