Canisius vs. Niagara Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Saturday, March 4, 2023

March 4, 2023, by Andy Molitor College Basketball Predictions

The Canisius Golden Griffins (9-19, 7-12 MAAC) are just 2.5-point favorites as they look to extend a three-game home winning streak when they take on the Niagara Purple Eagles (15-13, 10-9 MAAC) on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Koessler Athletic Center. The contest airs at 3:30 PM ET on ESPN3. The matchup’s over/under is set at 134.

Canisius vs. Niagara Odds

Canisius odds to win: -144
Niagara odds to win: +121
Spread: Canisius (-2.5)
Total: 134

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Game Time and Information

Date: Saturday, March 4, 2023
Time: 3:30 PM ET
TV: ESPN3
Where: Buffalo, New York
Venue: Koessler Athletic Center

Who Will Win Canisius vs. Niagara?

Canisius and Niagara Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

Canisius is 2-3 against the spread when favored by 2.5 points or more this season.

In games this season in which it was an underdog by 2.5 points or more, Niagara has a 6-4 record against the spread.

The two teams average a combined one more point per game (135) than this matchup’s over/under of 134 points.

Canisius and Niagara have seen its opponents average a combined 3.9 more points per game than the over/under of 134 set in this matchup.

Canisius’ average total in outings this year has been 142.8, 8.8 points higher than the total in this particular game.

The average total in Purple Eagles games this season is 3.8 fewer points than the point total of 134 in this outing.

The Golden Griffins have gone 15-12-0 ATS this season.

The Purple Eagles are 14-14-0 ATS this year.

Canisius Stats & Insights

Canisius is being outscored by 2.5 points per game with a -70 scoring differential overall. It puts up 70.1 points per game (213th in college basketball) and gives up 72.6 per outing (256th in college basketball).

Canisius loses the rebound battle by an average of 1.3 boards. It is grabbing 30.6 rebounds per game (254th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 31.9 per outing.

The Golden Griffins knock down 1.8 more threes per contest than the opposition, 8.6 (56th in college basketball) compared to their opponents’ 6.8.

Canisius’ 90.9 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 252nd in college basketball, and the 94.2 points it allows per 100 possessions rank 263rd in college basketball.

The Golden Griffins post 72 points per game in home games, compared to 69.9 points per game in away games, a difference of 2.1 points per contest.

Niagara Stats & Insights

Niagara puts up 64.9 points per game (334th in college basketball) while giving up 65.3 per contest (45th in college basketball). It has a -9 scoring differential.

Niagara is 326th in the nation at 28.6 rebounds per game. That’s similar to the 28.8 its opponents average.

Niagara hits 6.4 three-pointers per game (286th in college basketball) at a 34.6% rate (165th in college basketball), compared to the 5.8 its opponents make, shooting 35.9% from deep.

Niagara’s 92.6 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 214th in college basketball, and the 93.1 points it concedes per 100 possessions rank 228th in college basketball.

The Purple Eagles score 69.7 points per game at home, and 59.5 away.

Canisius Key Players to Watch

The scoring leader for the Golden Griffins this season is Jordan Henderson, who averages 13.6 points, three rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.

Jacco Fritz leads Canisius in rebounding, averaging six per game, while Tahj Staveskie leads the team in assists, distributing an average of 2.8 in each contest.

Henderson makes more threes per game than any other member of the Golden Griffins, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of two per contest.

The Canisius steals leader is Henderson, who averages one steal per game, while its blocks leader is Xzavier Long, who compiles 0.5 rejections per contest.

Niagara Key Players to Watch

Noah Thomasson scores 19.1 points and adds 3.4 assists per game, putting him at the top of the Purple Eagles’ leaderboards for those statistics.

Sam Iorio is at the top of the Niagara rebounding leaderboard with 5.5 rebounds per game. He also racks up 8.3 points and adds 1.3 assists per game.

Thomasson makes 1.6 three-pointers per game, the most on the Purple Eagles.

Niagara’s leader in steals is Braxton Bayless with 0.9 per game, and its leader in blocks is Iorio with 0.6 per game.