Saint Peter’s Peacocks vs Murray State Racers Betting Preview
The round of 32 kicks off Saturday, and one of the more interesting matchups in the evening features the No. 15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks (20-11) against the No. 7 Murray State Racers (30-2). This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with tipoff scheduled for 7:45 pm ET.
Playing in the Eastern region, the winner of this game will square off with the winner of No. 3 Purdue and No. 6 Texas next Friday.
Saint Peter’s pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament thus far when they beat No. 2 Kentucky 85-79 in overtime. In the win, Daryl Banks III had a team-high 27 points for the Peacocks while Doug Edert added 20 points.
Murray State was able to avoid the upset as they beat No. 10 San Francisco on Thursday 92-87. The Racers had five players score in double digits, led by KJ Williams and Trae Hannibal, who had 18 points apiece.
The Racers are the favorites in this one. They are -450 to win while the Peacocks’ moneyline sits at +340. The spread features Saint Peter’s +9 (-110), and the over/under for total points is 129.5.
More Odds
Murray State currently has the better odds of winning the National Championship at +15000. The Peacocks are +50000 to win it all.
By The Numbers
Murray State has the better of the two offenses in this one. They rank 28th in the nation in scoring averaging 76.8 points per game. Saint Peter’s ranks 266th averaging 66.8 points.
Defensively, it is Saint Peter’s with the edge. They rank 21st in the nation in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 62.8 points per game. The Racers rank 24th allowing 63.1 points.
Peacocks Try To Continue To Defy Odds
No one gave Saint Peter’s a chance in the opening round against No. 2 Kentucky, yet here they are. Again a major underdog, the Peacocks will look to defy odds again and take down the No. 7 Racers.
Leading the way for Saint Peter’s is junior guard Daryl Banks III. This season, he is averaging a team-high 11.5 points per game on just 39 percent shooting. He is also averaging 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals.
The Peacocks’ next two highest scorers include KC Ndefo (10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 2.7 blocks) and Doug Edert (9.6 points, 2.4 rebounds).
Racers Look To Extend Streak
At 31-2 overall, it has been a phenomenal season for the Murray State Racers. On Saturday, they will look to extend their current winning streak, which stands at a remarkable 21 games.
The Racers can get it done on both ends of the floor, but they are led on offense by junior forward KJ Williams. He is averaging 18.2 points on 54.5 percent shooting while also adding 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
Other major contributors include Tevin Brown (16.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, three assists, 1.4 steals), Justice Hill (13.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists), and Trae Hannibal (9.2 points, five rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals).
Take Racers To Win And Cover
Without a doubt, the Kentucky Wildcats did not show Saint Peter’s the respect that they deserved coming into the game. Don’t expect Murray State to make the same mistake.
While the Peacocks boast one of the best defenses in the nation, their offense is inconsistent at best. On the flip side, the Racers rank in the top 30 in both scoring and scoring defense.
Expect the Racers to jump out quickly on the Peacocks, and they should win with relative ease.
Take Murray State to both win and cover the 9-point spread.
