UNCW (12-4, 9-5 ATS, 2-1 CAA) travels up north to Hempstead, Long Island to take on Hofstra (9-7 SU, 7-7 ATS, 1-2 CAA) on Saturday at 1pmET from the Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Last season, the Pride won their only meeting 69-58 on the road as a 4.5-point dog. Read on for a full UNCW vs. Hofstra prediction on the final score and NCAAB Predictions!
Seahawks rebound from first loss to Towson
UNCW started their CAA campaign last week with Towson and fell in overtime 65-61 at home. That broke a three-game winning streak. They bounced back with a win over Cambpell 77-69 on Saturday and then on Thursday, won their first conference road game over Monmouth 64-55. They say defense travels and it did for the Seahawks against the Hawks, holding them to 33.9% shooting overall and outrebounding them 44-28. A major concern for UNCW was 21 turnovers, though they forced 14. Sean Moore led the Seahawks with 13 points in 19 minutes.
Turnovers have not been a major issue for the Seahawks, who rank 144th in assist-to-turnover ratio. UNCW also ranks 140th overall by KenPom and 177th in Adjusted Defensive Rating. Donovan Newby leads the Seahawks with 15.6 points and 3.3 assists, while shooting 41.7% from the field and 33.7% from long range. Senior Khamari McGriff adds 11 points and 4.5 rebounds with 1.2 blocks, while shooting 67.7% from the field and 66% from the line.
Overall, UNCW averages 80.5 points per game on 45.2% shooting and 32.1% from the three-point line. They also rank 65th in total rebounding percentage. They allow 70.3 points on 42.1% shooting and 29.6% from long range.
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Slow start for Pride
Hofstra had lost two straight games to Temple by 18 and Quinnipiac in overtime before facing William & Mary at home in their first conference game. That didn't go well as the Pride were shocked 74-56 by the Tribe as a 5.5-point favorite. They bounced back against Northeastern 55-37 last Saturday on the road. But they returned home on Thursday to face Charleston at home and fell 67-61. Hofstra shot just 34.7% from the field and 28.6% (6-23) from beyond the arc. Jean Aranguren led the Pride with 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Michael Graham added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Hofstra ranks 181st on KenPom, but just 329th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Cruz Davis, a 6-3 transfer from St. John's, leads the team in scoring with 14.3 points, adding 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and shooting 40.1% from the field (37.9% 3pt). Aranguren, a 6-3 Iona transfer, also averages 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists, while shooting 39.2% from the field and 33.3% from long range.
Shooting has been an issue for the Pride, who are averaging 67.5 points per game, while making 42% of their shots (309th) and 33.2% from long range. They allow 64.5 points per game on 37.2% shooting (6th) and 33.1% from long range. On the boards, Hofstra ranks 276th in total rebounding percentage.
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Best Bets for UNCW vs. Hofstra
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
I like the Hofstra defense and their guards, but they aren't as explosive offensively as last season and that happens when you lose most of your key starters in the portal to high-major programs. The Seahawks are a solid 3-2 on the road and they should be 3-0 in the CAA had they made some late shots against Towson, before losing in overtime. They have the size up front with 7-foot Harlan Obioha, who will help UNCW dominate the boards against a subpar rebounding team with a frontcourt that's not very big.
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
Hofstra wants to win a rock fight as they rank 329th in Adjusted Tempo according to KenPom, while UNCW is at 237. The Pride's defense has been elite, holding teams to just 37% from the field and UNCW is shooting just 30.5% from three-point range on the road. These teams have gone under in three of their last four meetings. Hofstra has gone under in seven of their last nine lined games. They've averaged just 56.4 points per game in their last five contests.
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