Middle Tennessee State at Auburn College Basketball Picks & Predictions 12/16/2017

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Legacy Arena at BJCC

Get todays College basketball odds and lines on this game.

The MTSU Blue Raiders travel to Legacy Arena at BJCC to play the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, December 16, 2017. The opening line for this game has Auburn as 3 point favorites.

Middle Tennessee State heads into this matchup with a mark of 7-1. They currently have a point differential of 12.6 as they are averaging 77.9 points per contest while giving up 65.3 per game. Auburn has an overall record of 8-1. They are averaging 87.1 points per game and surrendering 71.9, good for a point differential of 15.2.

Valuable MTSU Blue Raiders Betting Trends

The MTSU Blue Raiders are 4-1 against the spread this season

The MTSU Blue Raiders are 1-4 against the over/under this year

Important Auburn Tigers Betting Trends

The Auburn Tigers are 5-2 against the spread this season

The Auburn Tigers are 4-3 against the over/under this year

Key MTSU Blue Raiders Injuries

No key injuries to report

Key Auburn Tigers Injuries

12/15/17 G Mustapha Heron Back missed last game, is probable Saturday vs Middle Tenn St
11/05/17 C Austin Wiley Suspension is out indefinitely
11/05/17 F Danjel Purifoy Suspension is out indefinitely

Player Spotlight

Brandon Walters averages 13.3 points per game in 25.6 minutes per contest this season. He averages 0.7 assists per contest and 5 rebounds per game. His field goal percentage is 63% for the year while his free throw percentage is 67%. Nick King averages 24.3 points per game while playing 30.4 minutes per night this season. He pulls down 6.6 rebounds per game and dishes out 2.3 assists per game as well. His field goal percentage is 42% while his free throw percentage is at 85%.

Player Spotlight

Mustapha Heron averages 15.9 points per game this season and he sees the court an average of 25.6 minutes per contest. He also averages 5.3 rebounds per contest and 1.1 assists per game. His field goal percentage is 46% and his free throw percentage is 80%. Bryce Brown averages 17.1 points per game while playing 31.2 minutes per contest this year. He grabs 2.8 rebounds per game and has 2.2 assists per contest on the year. His field goal percentage is 42% and his free throw percentage is at 82%.

Useful Team Statistics

The Blue Raiders allow 65.3 points per game to their opponents which ranks them 57th in the nation. They also allow a 41% shooting percentage and a 31% average from behind the arc, ranking them 81st and 66th in those defensive categories. Opponents average 30.9 rebounds a game which ranks 27th, and they give up 11.4 assists per contest, which puts them in 66th place in the country. They force 14.9 turnovers per game which ranks them 225th in college basketball. Middle Tennessee State averages 77.9 points per contest this season, which ranks them 132nd in Division 1. Their average scoring margin is 12.6 and their shooting percentage is 47% as a team, which has them ranked 95th. Behind the arc they shoot 30% which is good for 311th in D-1. They average 37.0 rebounds per game and 15.5 assists per game, which ranks them 156th and 94th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they rank 289th with 12.1 per game.

Useful Team Statistics

The Tigers surrender 71.9 points per contest, which ranks them 184th in the country. Their defense allows a 40% shooting percentage and a 37% average from 3-point range, ranking them 66th and 251st in those defensive statistics. They rank 206th with 13.4 assists allowed per contest, and 40th with 31.3 rebounds surrendered per game. The Tigers are 269th in the nation in forcing turnovers with 15.6 per game this season. Auburn is 22nd in Division 1 with 87.1 points per game this year. They are 119th in the country in shooting at 46%, while their average scoring margin is 15.2. They shoot 39% from 3-point range, which is good for 66th in the nation. They are 14th in college basketball in rebounding with 42.1 boards per game and 111th in assists per contest with 15.2. The Tigers are 180th in turnovers per game with 13.6.

Advanced Statistics

The Blue Raiders are 70th in the nation in offensive rating with 112.1, and their defensive rating of 93.9 is ranked 75th. In terms of pace they are 248th in the country with 69.6 possessions per 40 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 52% is 170th. As a team they are 134th in college basketball in true shooting percentage with 56% and they shoot 3-pointers on 32% of their shots, ranking 287th in Division 1. Middle Tennessee State is 272nd in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 14.9 times per 100 possessions while forcing 19.3 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 47%, which is 74th in the nation.

Advanced Statistics

Auburn is 247th in the country in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 15.3 times per 100 possessions while forcing 18.6 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 48%, which is 114th in Division 1. The Tigers are 112th in the nation in defensive rating with 96.7, and their offensive rating of 117.2 is ranked 18th. They are 55th in D-1 in pace with 74.3 possessions per 40 minutes, and their eFG% of 54% is 93rd. As a unit they are 66th in college basketball in true shooting percentage with 58% and they shoot 3-pointers on 40% of their shot attempts, ranking 107th in the country.

Who will win tonight's Middle Tennessee State/Auburn college basketball game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take Auburn -3

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