The New Orleans Privateers and Houston Christian Huskies meet Sunday in the college basketball Southland Tournament at the Legacy Center. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
The New Orleans Privateers are averaging 72.3 points on 46.3 percent shooting and allowing 79.8 points on 47.7 percent shooting. Jordan Johnson is averaging 17.7 points and 2.3 rebounds, while Tyson Jackson is averaging 11 points and 4.8 rebounds. Khaleb Wilson-Rouse is the third double-digit scorer and Simeon Kirkland is grabbing 4.9 rebounds. The New Orleans Privateers are shooting 37.9 percent from beyond the arc and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. The New Orleans Privateers are allowing 36.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 28.6 rebounds per game.
The Houston Christian Huskies are averaging 77.8 points on 45.9 percent shooting and allowing 82.8 points on 49.5 percent shooting. Brycen Long is averaging 15.2 points and 2.5 rebounds, while Maks Klanjscek is averaging 14.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. Bonke Maring is the third double-digit scorer and Andrew King is grabbing 3.6 rebounds. The Houston Christian Huskies are shooting 36.8 percent from beyond the arc and 72.3 percent from the free throw line. The Houston Christian Huskies are allowing 36.4 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 31.3 rebounds per game.
The Privateers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Huskies are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Sunday games and 2-7 ATS in their last 9 neutral site games. The over is 5-1 in Privateers last 6 overall. The over is 10-4 in Huskies last 14 overall. The favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Neither of these teams are good, and I’m not eager to back either side, but New Orleans enters the tournament playing the better ball. The Houston Baptist Huskies are losing their last 5 games by an average of 2.4 points while not playing a lick of a defense. The New Orleans Privateers win in the favorite role by an average of 5.6 points. I’ll lay the bucket.