Matchup: Niagara Purple Eagles vs Michigan State Spartans
Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Venue: Breslin Center, East Lansing, MI
Broadcast: BTN
The Niagara Purple Eagles (1-0) travel to Breslin Center on Thursday to compete against the Michigan State Spartans (1-0) in an exciting NCAA basketball showdown.
In their most recent outing, the Niagara Purple Eagles faced off against Marist, suffering a narrow defeat with a score of 65-59. The Purple Eagles incurred 13 personal fouls while Marist registered 17. From beyond the arc, Niagara converted 4 of 10 attempts, while Marist boasted an impressive 78.9% from the free-throw line, making 15 of their 19 attempts. The rebounding battle saw Marist pull down 20 boards—7 on offense and 13 on defense—without any blocks. Meanwhile, Marist recorded 10 assists and 10 steals. Defensively, Niagara allowed their opponents to shoot 52.3% from the floor, giving up 23 field goals on 44 attempts. Niagara achieved 18 assists and forced 10 turnovers, while stealing the ball 6 times. The Purple Eagles gathered a total of 47 rebounds, with 16 of them being offensive. From the charity stripe, Niagara converted 10 of 15 attempts for a 66.7% conversion rate. Overall, the Purple Eagles ended the game shooting 45.8% from the field (22 of 48) and made 5 out of 16 attempts from three-point range.
Jahari Williamson was a standout performer in that contest, shooting an impressive 62.5% from the field and dishing out 3 assists during his 20 minutes on the court. He tallied 16 points on 5 of 8 shooting.
Entering this pivotal game, Niagara boasts a record of 1-0 this season. They average 14.0 turnovers per game and commit approximately 21.0 fouls per contest. The team is securing 38.0 rebounds per game and has provided 22 assists, placing them at 43rd in Division I in assists. The Purple Eagles hit an impressive 44.4% of their three-point attempts (12 of 27) and 72.0% from the free-throw line. Averaging 100.0 points per game (38th nationally), they shoot 57.4% from the field.
On the defensive end, the Purple Eagles have forced their opponents into committing 20.0 turnovers per game while drawing 19.0 fouls. They have limited opponents to a 27.3% shooting percentage from three-point distance and are currently ranked 176th in Division I for points allowed per game (65.0). Niagara’s defense allows a field-goal percentage of 37.7% (23 of 61) and concedes an average of 33.0 rebounds per game, ranking 202nd in Division I in assists allowed with 12 per game.
In their last game, the Michigan State Spartans secured a decisive 81-57 victory over Monmouth. The Spartans collected 16 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive boards, totaling 24 for the game. They committed 12 turnovers and recorded 3 steals. In response to Monmouth’s 17 fouls, Michigan State had 27 free-throw attempts, converting 18 for a free-throw percentage of 66.7%. The Spartans struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 18 threes (16.7%). Overall, Michigan State shot 49.2% from the field, connecting on 30 of 61 attempts. Defensively, they limited Monmouth to 27.9% shooting, with their opponents making 17 of 61 attempts from the floor and 8 of 27 from three-point distance. Michigan State excelled at the free-throw line, sinking 15 of 16 attempts (93.8%) while giving up a total of 34 rebounds to Monmouth (11 offensive).
Jaden Akins emerged as a key contributor for the Spartans, scoring 23 points in 27 minutes while also recording 5 assists. He achieved a shooting percentage of 66.7%, going 8 for 12 from the field, along with grabbing 9 rebounds.
With an overall record of 1-0 this season, the Spartans are averaging 15.0 personal fouls per game and shooting 66.7% from the free-throw line. They are assisting 23.0 times per game, ranking 36th in the nation, and averaging 13.0 turnovers per game. This season, the Spartans have scored a total of 81 points (81.0 points per game) and have averaged 48.0 rebounds per game. On the offensive front, they have a field-goal percentage of 49.2%, placing them at 115th in college basketball.
Defensively, Michigan State ranks 105th nationally for points allowed per game (57.0) and forces an average of 15.0 turnovers per game, limiting opponents to shoot 27.9% from the field (ranked 50th in Division I). Opponents are making 29.6% of their three-point attempts, while they connect on 93.8% of free-throw attempts against Michigan State. The Spartans allow 9.0 assists and 31.0 rebounds per game, which ranks 126th and 139th, respectively, in those categories.
Who will come out on top in tonight’s NCAA basketball clash?
Free Prediction: Bet on Michigan State (-27.5)
