Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Friday, Feb. 23 (Bobcats Bounce Back)
Following its first two-game losing streak of the season, Quinnipiac’s lead for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is down to just two games. That could be threatened Friday with Fairfield, one of the two teams (Niagara) tied for second place, visiting Hamden, Connecticut.
Quinnipiac is coming off its first home conference loss of the season, 80-66 to Niagara, while Fairfield has won four of its last five games. The two teams last met on Jan. 28, when Quinnipiac pulled out a 66-64 victory on the road.
Here’s the betting preview for Friday’s conference clash with a best bet.
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Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac odds, spread and total
Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac betting trends
- Fairfield is 11-14 ATS this season
- Quinnipiac is 14-9-1 ATS this season
- Fairfield is 4-6 ATS as an underdog this season
- Quinnipiac is 10-6-1 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 17-8 in Fairfield games this season
- The OVER is 9-15 in Quinnipiac games this season
Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac how to watch
- Date: Friday, Feb. 23
- Game time: 9 p.m. EST
- Venue: M&T Bank Arena
- How to watch (TV): ESPNU
- Fairfield record: 16-10 (10-5 MAAC)
- Quinnipiac record: 19-6 (11-3 MAAC)
Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac key players to watch
Fairfield
Caleb Fields: In Sunday’s win over Mount St. Mary’s, Fields, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, was the Stags’ leading scorer for the first time since Feb. 2. Over 27 minutes, Fields shot a season-high 69.2% from the field (9-of-13) with seven 3-pointers for 26 points. He’s averaging a team-high 16 points per game as one of four double-digit scorers in the Stags’ lineup.
Quinnipiac
Amarri Tice: The 6-foot-7 sophomore forward averages 12.8 points per game while shooting just under 50% from the field. Tice is also fifth in the MAAC in rebounding (7.1 per game). He has five double-doubles on the season, most recently with a 12-point, 11-rebound performance in the previous matchup against Fairfield. Tice had scored in double figures in five straight games before being held to 8 points in Sunday’s loss to Niagara.
Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac prediction and pick
Quinnipiac is No. 2 in the MAAC in opponents’ field goal percentage (42.3%) and No. 3 against shots from 3-point range, so it’s a bit of an anomaly how hot the Bobcats’ last two opponents have been shooting the rock.
Over Qunnipiac’s two-game losing streak, Mount St. Mary’s and Niagara combined to shoot 48.6% from the field (54-of-111) and over 50% from beyond the arc (20-of-39).
The bad news? Fairfield is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country at No. 27 in KenPom. The good news? In their previous meeting, Quinnipiac was able to smother the perimeter, holding the high-scoring Stags to just 5-of-26 from downtown.
Look for the numbers from the last two games to regress on Friday in favor of the Bobcats, which is third in the MAAC in overall defense, effective field goal percentage, and fourth in defensive rebounding. This is a matchup of the two highest-scoring teams in the conference as Quinnipiac is No. 1 in scoring at 78.3 points per game. They should get plenty of quality looks at the rim against a Fairfield defense that is No. 235 in efficiency and No. 308 in defending shots from inside the arc.
The Bobcats are 10-6-1 ATS as a favorite this season and 7-5 ATS at M&T Bank Arena. Take Quinnipiac in a bounce-back spot as they chase a regular-season conference crown.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.