Both teams suck at offense with northern Arizona's last game only putting up 39 points against Arizona. Not to be outdone, 2 games ago against UCLA, Pepperdine scored only 39 points too. Pepperdine has only one player averaging double digits, F Taylor Darby @ 12 and change. Well.., NAU only has one player in double digits and guess what? 12 points and change, James Douglas.
NAU runs a 4 guard set, while Pepperdine runs 3 guards. The big difference is NAU's sole big guy getting minutes, Ephraim Ekanem, is 6'7 and gets less then 4 boards a game. Pepperdine's 2nd best player is a true center, 6'10 Senior Corbin Moore. He is nothing to write home about, but should be able to use his height against inferior skilled and lacking physical traits to match up. Think ymca basketball and the one team that has the 6'6 dude just scoring ugly and getting boards b/c hes so much taller.
It might be ugly, but it gets the job done. I dont want to overestimate saying pepperdine is a rebounding physical team with abundance of 7 footers, they only average 37.3 boards a game (111 in the country), but they should outmatch NAU 35.1 (198th). NAU's leading rebounding is, get this..... drum roll a f'ing guard. a 6'4 senior and hes getting over 6 boards. 2nd leading rebounder...a 6 foot nothing guard at over 4.
Perpperdine might suck at shooting (.375 fg%), but when they get the rebound from their brick they will have another attempt or two from point blank.
NAU's only two wins (2-6) come against unranked Kenpom teams at home. Pepperdine (4-3) has won on the road against arizona state and overall road record at 2-2 with one blowout loss to UCLA.
Kenpom has pepperdine as winning by a point, while 5dimes has pepperdine as a 3 point dog. RUFF RUFF.
Im betting that pepperdine doesnt suck as bad as nau.
SBR Top-Rated Sportsbooks
Pepperdine at Northern Arizona
Reply With Quote
