Nicholls State vs. McNeese Southland Tournament Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Monday, March 6, 2023

The No. 4 seed Nicholls State Colonels (16-14, 11-7 Southland) are 5.5-point favorites in the Southland Tournament when they face off against the No. 8 seed McNeese Cowboys (10-22, 6-12 Southland) on Monday at The Legacy Center, tipping off at 6:00 PM on ESPN+. Both teams hope to move one step closer to an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament bracket. The over/under in the matchup is 145.

Nicholls State vs. McNeese Odds

• Nicholls State odds to win: -235
• McNeese odds to win: +190
• Spread: Nicholls State (-5.5)
• Total: 145

Nicholls State vs. McNeese Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• Date: Monday, March 6, 2023
• Time: 6:00 PM ET
• TV: ESPN+
• Where: Lake Charles, Louisiana
• Venue: The Legacy Center

Who Will Win Nicholls State vs. McNeese?

Nicholls State and McNeese Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

When it has played as at least 5.5-point favorites this season, Nicholls State is 2-7-1 against the spread.

McNeese has a 6-6-1 record against the spread in games it was an underdog by 5.5 points or more this season.

The two teams average a combined 0.1 fewer points per game, 144.9, than this game’s total of 145 points.

Nicholls State and McNeese have seen its opponents average a combined 2.9 more points per game than the over/under of 145 set for this game.

The average total Nicholls State has had set in games this year is 3.3 more points than this outing’s point total.

The average point total for the Cowboys this season is 0.4 points fewer than this game’s over/under.

The Colonels are 8-16-2 against the spread this season.

The Cowboys’ ATS record is 14-16-1 this season.

Nicholls State Stats & Insights

Nicholls State has a +97 scoring differential, topping opponents by 3.3 points per game. It is putting up 75.8 points per game to rank 82nd in college basketball and is allowing 72.5 per contest to rank 250th in college basketball.

Nicholls State is 211th in college basketball at 31.3 rebounds per game. That’s similar to the 31.4 its opponents average.

The Colonels hit 7.8 three-pointers per game (130th in college basketball), while their opponents have made 6.9 on average.

Nicholls State ranks 140th in college basketball with 95.2 points scored per 100 possessions, and 167th in college basketball defensively with 91.1 points conceded per 100 possessions.

In home games, the Colonels are putting up 10.6 more points per game (82.3) than they are on the road (71.7).

McNeese Stats & Insights

McNeese’s -202 scoring differential (being outscored by 6.3 points per game) is a result of putting up 69.1 points per game (248th in college basketball) while allowing 75.4 per outing (320th in college basketball).

McNeese ranks 183rd in the country at 31.6 rebounds per game. That’s similar to the 31.9 its opponents average.

McNeese knocks down 1.0 fewer three per contest than the opposition, 7.8 (130th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 8.8.

McNeese ranks 291st in college basketball with 88.9 points scored per 100 possessions, and 318th defensively with 97 points conceded per 100 possessions.

At home the Cowboys are scoring 74.3 points per game, 10 more than they are averaging on the road (64.3).

Nicholls State Key Players to Watch

The Colonels scoring leader is Caleb Huffman, who averages 16.3 per contest to go with 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Nicholls State’s leading rebounder is Emanuel Littles averaging 6.9 boards per game and its best passer is Lance Amir-Paul and his 2.4 assists per game.

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

Huffman and Latrell Jones lead Nicholls State on the defensive end, with Huffman leading the team in steals averaging 2.1 per game and Jones in blocks averaging 0.6 per contest.

McNeese Key Players to Watch

The Cowboys’ leader in scoring and rebounding is Christian Shumate with 14.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Trae English’s assist statline leads McNeese; he records 3.6 assists per game.

Zach Scott is consistent from deep and leads the Cowboys with 2.2 made threes per game.

English (1.7 steals per game) is the steal leader for McNeese while Shumate (0.7 blocks per game) is the block leader.

Nicholls State vs. McNeese Prediction

• Pick ATS:

  McNeese (+5.5)
  

• Pick OU:

  Over (145)
  

• Prediction:
  Nicholls State 76, McNeese 70

How to Bet on Nicholls State vs. McNeese

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