East Carolina Pirates vs UCF Knights Prediction, 3/11/2021 College Basketball Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: East Carolina Pirates vs UCF Knights

Date: Thursday, March 11, 2021

Location: Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX

TV: ESPNU

Odds/Point Spread: East Carolina (+5)

Dickies Arena is the site where and the UCF Knights (10-11) will take on the East Carolina Pirates (8-10) on Thursday. The spread on this matchup has UCF as 5-point favorites. The total is set at 133.5.

East Carolina will enter this matchup with a win-loss record of 8-10 for the year. They cough up possession 12.9 times per contest and as a squad they commit 17.0 personal fouls every game. As a team, East Carolina is collecting 34.6 rebounds per game and has totaled 286 dimes so far this year, which is 209th in D-1 in terms of passing. The Pirates are connecting on 30.9% on shots from 3-point land (106 of 343) and 72.9% from the free throw line. They are averaging 67.1 pts per game (277th in Division 1) while going 41.0% from the field. On the defensive end of the court, the Pirates are able to force 14.6 turnovers per contest while drawing 17.7 fouls. They are conceding 32.1% from beyond the arc and they are 100th in college basketball in PPG allowed (67.7). The Pirates defense is giving up an opponent shooting percentage of 42.1% (412 of 979) and they surrender 35.8 boards per game as a unit. They are currently ranked 55th in college basketball in giving up assists to their opponents with 229 surrendered on the year.

The East Carolina Pirates took the court against the Cincinnati Bearcats and went home with a loss by a final score of 82-69 in their last game. East Carolina finished having earned a 34.5% field goal percentage (19 of 55) and converted 4 of their 19 shots from beyond the arc. From the charity stripe, the Pirates made 27 of 33 tries for a percentage of 81.8%. When talking about rebounding, they earned 29 with 7 of them being on the offensive end. They also distributed 18 assists for the matchup as well as creating 9 turnovers and having 6 steals. Concerning defense, East Carolina allowed the other team to shoot 47.5% from the field on 29 out of 61 shooting. Cincinnati distributed 19 assists and had 7 steals for the game. Additionally, Cincinnati had 35 boards (8 offensive, 27 defensive) and earned 3 blocks. Cincinnati finished shooting 70.6% from the charity stripe by making 12 of their 17 attempts. They knocked down 12 out of their 30 attempts from 3-point land.

Jayden Gardner is someone who was a major contributor in this contest. He finished with 23 points on 7 out of 14 shooting. He saw the court for 38 minutes played and also snagged 4 rebounds. Gardner finished the contest at 50.0% from the floor and distributed 3 assists. Someone else that was a contributor in this matchup for the Pirates was Tristen Newton. He pulled down 6 rebounds in 35 minutes on the court. He ended up shooting 40.0% from the field in the matchup by going 4-of-10 (13 points). Overall, Newton had 3 assists.

UCF has a record of 10-11 for the year. In terms of offensive execution, the Knights are shooting 43.1% from the field, which is ranked 241st in Division 1. UCF has 1,412 points so far this year (67.2 per contest) and they pull in 33.0 rebounds per contest. Their rate of dishing out assists is at 12.1 times per game (247th in D-1) and they turn it over 14.8 times per contest. The Knights commit 17.0 fouls every game while shooting 73.6% from the free throw line. The Knights on the defensive end are ranked 162nd in college basketball in points per game surrendered with 69.8. They concede 13.5 assists and 34.6 rebounds per contest, which has them ranked 226th and 161st in college hoops. The UCF defense gives up 33.3% on shots from distance (156 of 468) and their opponents are converting on 69.1% of their shots from the free throw line. They are able to force 13.5 TO's per game and have let teams shoot 43.3% from the field (175th in college hoops).

The last time they took the court, the UCF Knights got the victory with a final of 64-60 against the Pirates. The Knights recorded 29 defensive rebounds and 5 offensive boards totaling 34 in this contest. They also coughed up the ball 13 times, while earning 9 steals in this matchup. The Pirates had 12 fouls for this contest which took the Knights to the free throw line for a total of 8 attempts. They were able to bury 6 of them for a rate of 75.0%. With regard to shooting from distance, UCF converted 8 of 25 tries (32.0%). Overall, the Knights ended up shooting 25 for 58 from the floor which had them at 43.1%. The Knights allowed the Pirates to convert 19 of 55 tries from the field which gave them a shooting percentage of 34.5% in this matchup. They shot 36.4% from beyond the perimeter by connecting on 8 out of 22 and ended up shooting 14 out of 18 from the free throw line (77.8%). In reference to rebounding, UCF allowed East Carolina to get 32 in total (6 offensive).

Isaiah Adams ended up being a factor for the Knights in this matchup. He knocked down 6 of 13 in the matchup for a field goal percentage of 46.2%, and earned 6 rebounds. Adams racked up 15 points in his 38 minutes on the hardwood and had 3 assists in this game. Someone else that ended up playing a role for UCF was Darius Perry. He ended up finishing with 5 dimes in his 36 mins on the court, and he shot 6 out of 13 from the floor. Perry ended up shooting 46.2% from the floor in addition to totaling 14 points and 11 boards.

Who will win tonight's college basketball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take East Carolina (+5)

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