Green Bay Phoenix at Wright State Raiders
Ervin J. Nutter Center – Dayton, Ohio
Friday, January 17, 2014, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPNU
Opening Line: Green Bay -2 1/2
Current Line: Green Bay -2
Opening Total: 130
Current Total: 130
Opening Money Line: Green Bay -140 / Wright State +120
Current Money Line: Green Bay -135 / Wright State +115
There is a lot of basketball to be played before March obviously, but if you are looking for a mid major team that has the potential to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament then the 13-3 Green Bay Phoenix might fit the bill. The Phoenix have won eight straight games and lead the Horizon League at 3-0. Green Bay can take control of the conference with a win Friday night at the 11-8 Wright State Raiders. The Raiders are in second place in the conference with a 3-1 record. Every other team in the Horizon has at least two conference losses.
The series is tied at 24-24 between Green Bay and Wright State, but the Raiders are 18-8 in Dayton in the series. Wright State has won 10 of the last 11 games in Dayton against Green Bay. The Raiders won both meetings last year, 64-53 in Dayton and 70-68 in double overtime in Green Bay. The two schools will meet again February 1 in Green Bay, and quite possibly in the Horizon tournament as they are the class of the League.
Green Bay is coached by Brian Wardle. The Phoenix have a home loss to currently #3 ranked Wisconsin, to Harvard in the Great Alaska Shootout, and at Eastern Michigan. Green Bay has key wins over Pepperdine and Tulsa in Alaska, at home against Virginia, at South Dakota, home against Cleveland State and Youngstown State, at Chicago State and last Sunday at Milwaukee 93-86 in overtime. Green Bay is 8-4 ATS and the total is 6-6 this season.
Green Bay is outscoring teams 79-65 this season. The Phoenix are #45 nationally in scoring and #57 in points allowed. Green Bay is shooting 48.1% from the field and 37.9% from 3 point range. The Phoenix are #38 nationally in field goal percentage. Green Bay makes 69.6% of their free throws. Phoenix opponents are shooting 37.8% from the field and 31.7% from 3 point range. Green Bay is #14 nationally in field goal defense. Green Bay averages 38.6 rebounds per game and opponents average 31 per game. The Phoenix average 16.6 assists, 12.4 turnovers, 8 steals, and 7.8 blocks per game. Opponents average 11.4 assists, 14.6 turnovers, 6 steals, and 3.4 blocks.
Phoenix guard Keifer Sykes averages 20.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Forward/center Alec Brown averages 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game. Forward Greg Mays averages 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. Guard Carrington Love averages 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Guard Vincent Garrett averages 7.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. Guard/forward Jordan Fouse averages 6.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Kenneth Lowe and lamin Fulton will also get time in the rotation. Forward Alfonzo McKinnie is out Friday with a knee injury.
Wright State is coached by Billy Donlon. All eight losses for the Raiders came on the road to Georgetown, DePaul, South Alabama, Morehead State, North Carolina A&T, VMI, Maryland, and Detroit. Wright State has key wins over Alcorn State, Western Carolina, Eastern Illinois, Missouri-KC, Bowling Green, Oakland, and Illinois-Chicag0 58-53 last Sunday, all at home. The Raiders also have a road win at Valparaiso. Wright State has won 2 straight games. The Raiders are 3-10 ATS and the total is 4-9 this season.
Wright State is outscoring teams 68-61 this season. The Raiders are #20 nationally in points allowed. Wright State is shooting 45.4% from the field and 32.6% from 3 point range. The Raiders are #24 nationally in free throw shooting at 74.9% from the line. Wright State opponents are shooting 41.7% from the field and 35.2% from 3 point range. Wright State averages 30.4 rebounds per game and opponents average 30.6. The Raiders are #339 in rebounding out of 351 teams. Wright State averages 12.9 assists, 13.6 turnovers, 8 steals and 2.9 blocks per game. Opponents average 10.2 assists, 17.6 turnovers, 5.7 steals, and 3.3 blocks per game.
Wright State forward A.J. Pacher averages 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Guard Miles Dixon averages 9.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Forward J.T. Yoho is out indefinitely for undisclosed reasons. He averages 8.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Forward Jerran Young averages 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. Guard Chrishawn Hopkins averages 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Forward Cole Darling averages 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1 steal a game. Reggie Arceneaux, Matt Vest, Kendall Griffin, Steven Davis, and Tavares Sledge will also get significant time in the rotation. Vest and Griffin are both listed as probable for undisclosed reasons.
Green Bay is 5-0 ATS after a straight up win, and overall, 4-1 against teams with winning records, 37-18-2 in Horizon League games, 1-5 in road games, and against teams with winning home records. Five of the last six games in this series have gone under the total. The under is also 4-1 in the last 5 games in Dayton in this series. The road team is 5-2-1 ATS in this series recently.
Wright State is 5-1 ATS in Friday games, 6-2 in Horizon games, 3-11 overall, 1-4 against teams with winning records, 1-5 against teams with winning road records, and 1-9 after a straight up win. The underdog is 7-2-1 ATS in this series recently. The Raiders have covered 5 of the last 6 games in this series.
In order for Wright State to have a chance they must slow down Green Bay. If this game is played in the 70’s, then the Raiders will get run out of the building. Both teams are good on defense. I like Green Bay to win on the road and exopand their Horizon League lead.
