Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Venue: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs, CT
Broadcast: ESPN+
The Sacred Heart Pioneers (16-16 last season) are heading to Gampel Pavilion this Wednesday, aiming to secure a win against the UConn Huskies (37-3 from the previous year).
In their latest game, the Sacred Heart Pioneers faced off against Wagner, experiencing a close defeat with a final score of 60-57. The Pioneers recorded 16 fouls compared to Wagner’s 15. From beyond the arc, they managed to connect on 8 of 21 attempts. Wagner struggled from the free-throw line, converting only 2 of 9 attempts, while also pulling down a total of 32 rebounds (10 offensive and 22 defensive), without securing any blocks. They registered 15 assists and made 5 steals in the matchup. Defensively, Sacred Heart allowed an opponent shooting percentage of 43.9% from the floor, as Wagner shot 25 out of 57. The Pioneers finished with 12 assists, forced 10 turnovers, and stole the ball 7 times, while securing 30 rebounds, including 8 offensive rebounds. From the charity stripe, they went 11 of 17 for a success rate of 64.7%. Overall, Sacred Heart posted a 42.0% shooting percentage (21 out of 50) and successfully hit 4 out of 14 three-point shots.
One standout player, Alex Sobel, contributed significantly by shooting 38.5% from the field, dishing out 1 assist, playing for 37 minutes, and grabbing 11 rebounds. He scored a total of 15 points with a shooting line of 5 for 13.
The Pioneers enter this matchup following a balanced season record of 16-16. Throughout last year, they averaged 11.7 turnovers per game, while committing approximately 16.9 fouls each game. On average, the team secured 33.7 rebounds and notched 440 assists—a ranking of 156th in college basketball for assists. They excelled from three-point range, hitting 36.5% of their shots (237 out of 650) and achieved a free-throw percentage of 69.5%. Offensively, they averaged 74.1 points per game, ranking 156th in Division 1, with a shooting percentage of 45.5% from the field.
On the defensive side, the Pioneers compelled opposing teams into an average of 14.5 turnovers per game and were called for 15.7 fouls. They allowed a 3-point shooting percentage of 35.3% and ranked 194th in Division 1 for Points Per Game allowed (72.3). Sacred Heart’s defense allowed a field goal percentage of 43.5% against them (821 of 1,888) and averaged 37.1 rebounds surrendered per game, ranking 301st in collegiate hoops for assists permitted, with a total of 476 last season.
In their most recent game, the UConn Huskies emerged victorious over Purdue with a final score of 75-60. UConn allowed Purdue to secure 27 total rebounds (8 offensive). UConn struggled from long-range, shooting only 14.3% (1 out of 7) from three-point territory and converted 11 out of 15 free-throw attempts, translating to a 73.3% accuracy. Purdue shot 44.4% from the field (24 of 54), while UConn achieved a shooting percentage of 48.4% with 30 makes from 62 attempts. From three-point range, they succeeded on 6 out of 22 shots (27.3%) and converted 9 from the free-throw line for a percentage of 81.8%. Purdue registered 15 fouls in the match which led to UConn’s 11 free throw attempts. UConn committed 6 turnovers and also garnered 3 steals. They recorded a total of 32 rebounds, with 19 on the defensive end and 13 offensively.
Tristen Newton proved vital for the Huskies, totaling 20 points in 39 minutes and providing 7 assists during the game. He shot 6 of 13 from the field, registering an efficiency rate of 46.2%, along with 5 rebounds.
Last season, UConn achieved a remarkable record of 37-3. Offensively, they boasted an impressive shooting percentage of 49.7%, ranking 5th nationally. Throughout the past season, they scored 3,256 total points (an average of 81.4 points per game) while hauling in 38.8 rebounds per contest. They averaged 18.7 assists (2nd in Division 1) and limited turnovers to 9.6 per game. UConn also averaged 16.3 fouls per game and converted 74.3% of their free-throw attempts.
Defensively, UConn allowed 31.2% shooting from three-point range (234 of 749) and opponents made 72.5% of their free-throw attempts. Their defense averaged giving up 10.0 assists and 30.1 rebounds per game, which placed them 10th and 7th in Division 1 respectively. The Huskies’ defense was stellar, ranking 9th in the nation for points allowed per game (63.4). They were adept at forcing turnovers, averaging 10.6 per game, and held opponents to a field goal shooting percentage of 39.2% (7th in the nation).
Which team will prevail in tonight’s NCAA basketball game against the spread?
Free Prediction: Bet on UConn (-34.0)
