In the NCAAB Miami at Temple free pick, the Owls look like a good play coming off a 100+ point outing for the first time in years. The Hurricanes come into the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational with an impressive 6-3 record in their own rights. This game is being held in Brooklyn, which is a much shorter 2-hour trip for Temple giving them another advantage in this ‘neutral’ site outing.
Hurricanes Versatile on Offensive End
Nobody is going to really ‘wow’ you with a 30 or 40 point night for the ‘Canes, but they do have three quality scorers which can be an advantage in these neutral site games. Dejan Vasiljevic (14.9), Kameron McGusty (14.1), and Chris Lykes (14.6) have all gone for 20+ at least once this season.
Overall Miami is 6-3, and those losses kind of come with a grain of salt. Miami lost by 20 to Florida and 25 to Connecticut in the Charleston Classic in the span of 3 days. Aside from those tournament losses, the Hurricanes also were beaten by former #1 team Louisville 74-87 in the season opener. The ‘Canes did look good in an 81-79 win over Illinois in the ACC / Big 10 Classic powered by a 28 point night by Lykes.
The Hurricanes come into the NCAAB Miami at Temple free pick off their best offensive performance of the year, an 88-74 win over Alabama A&M with McGusty going for 21 this time. Temple has played some of the most stifling defense in the country through the first month-plus of the season though.
Temple Clicking on Offense As Well
The total of 141.5 for Tuesday’s game is a tough one to call considering Temple has played such good defense so far this season. The Owls rank 29th in the country giving up just 60.1 ppg. Aaron McKie’s team also completely suffocates opposing offenses to the tune of a 35.2% shooting from the field that is top 5 in the nation. That’s very impressive regardless of the quality of an opponent.
Temple comes into Tuesday’s game off their best offensive outing of the season as well after a 101-61 win over St. Joseph’s as -11.5 favorites. That’s a huge output considering the leading scorer was Jake Forrester with just 17 points on an 8-8 night from the field. Either way it was a nice rebound win for Temple after losing 54-64 at home to Missouri the game before as a -2.5 favorite.
Temple had a good showing in the Orlando Invitational, losing by 7 to former top-5 team Maryland but then beating Davidson and Texas A&M both by 13+ points. The Owls have also handed losses to 6-3 LaSalle and 9-2 USC so far this season.
NCAAB Miami at Temple free pick
These two teams have had very contradictory experiences in tournaments this season. Even though the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational is more of an unconventional one-day tourney, the location definitely favors Temple traveling to Brooklyn from Philadelphia. The Owls’ stifling defense has caused problems for some quality teams this season. The Owls don’t have the big time scorers that Miami does, but Temple does have the system.
Pick: Temple Owls -2.5
