Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Massachusetts and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead N.J. Tech 41-24.
Massachusetts has yet to string together two consecutive wins, but this may be their chance. For now, things are looking good for them.
Who’s Playing
N.J. Tech Highlanders @ Massachusetts Minutemen
Current Records: N.J. Tech 1-7, Massachusetts 2-5
How To Watch
What to Know
If the oddsmakers’ predictions hold true, the near future looks bright for Massachusetts. They will look to defend their home court on Sunday against the N.J. Tech Highlanders at 12:00 p.m. ET at Mullins Center. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with five losses in a row, Massachusetts finally turned things around against Harvard on Wednesday. They walked away with a 62-54 win over the Crimson. The score was all tied up 24-24 at the break, but the Minutemen were the better team in the second half.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Massachusetts to victory, but perhaps none more so than Daniel Hankins-Sanford, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and ten rebounds. Hankins-Sanford is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he’s now pulled down ten or more in the last three games he’s played. Another player making a difference was Daniel Rivera, who went 6 for 8 en route to 12 points plus eight rebounds and two blocks.
Massachusetts smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they’ve now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in eight consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask N.J. Tech). They came out on top against Morehead State by a score of 78-69 on Wednesday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Highlanders as it spelled an end to their 13-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Massachusetts’ win bumped their record up to 2-5. As for N.J. Tech, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-7.
Sunday’s match is shaping up to be a scrappy contest: Massachusetts has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 40.3 rebounds per game. It’s a different story for N.J. Tech, though, as they’ve been averaging only 31.8. Given Massachusetts’ sizable advantage in that area, N.J. Tech will need to find a way to close that gap.
Odds
Massachusetts is a big 17.5-point favorite against N.J. Tech, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 17.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 141 points.
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