St. Francis (PA) vs. Central Connecticut Prediction, Odds and Key Players for NEC Quarterfinals (Blue Devils roll)
They are talking about the NCAA Tournament in New Britain after the Blue Devils won a share of the NEC regular season championship. Central Connecticut, which has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2007, won four straight and six of seven overall to finish the regular season. Can they keep that momentum and pull away as double-digit favorites Wednesday night in the NEC Tournament quarterfinals?
St. Francis lost five straight and eight of nine overall heading into the postseason and has struggled against NEC opponents all season. The Red Flash are used to being a bid underdog heading into Wednesday’s tournament opener at Detrick Gymnasium. Here’s the betting preview of the matchup with a best bet.
If you’re looking to bet on any NCAA game tonight, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins.
Sign up for FanDuel now!
St. Francis (PA) vs. Central Connecticut Odds, Spread and Total
St. Francis (PA) vs. Central Connecticut Betting Trends
- St. Francis is 14-13 ATS this season
- Central Connecticut is 17-10 ATS this season
- St. Francis is 12-13 ATS as an underdog this season
- Central Connecticut is 8-6 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 11-16 in St. Francis games this season
- The OVER is 13-14 in Central Connecticut games this season
St. Francis (PA) vs. Central Connecticut How to Watch
- Date: Wednesday, March 6
- Game time: 7 p.m. EST
- Venue: Detrick Gymnasium
- How to watch (TV): NEC Front Row
- St. Francis (PA) record: 8-21
- Central Connecticut record: 19-10
St. Francis (PA) vs. Central Connecticut Key Players to Watch
St. Francis (PA)
Eli Wilborn: With leading scorer Cam Gregory out since January, Wilborn has been an all-around stat-stuffer for the Red Flash. Wilborn, a 6-foot-8 freshman forward, is averaging 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field. Wilborn ended the regular season with just 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting over the last two games, sinking just 6-of-12 free throws in those contests.
Central Connecticut
Allan Jeanne-Rose: The 6-foot-7 senior forward is Central Connecticut’s leading scorer at 15.1 points per game while shooting 54.1% from the field. Jeanne-Rose has scored 16-plus points in three consecutive games. He had 24 points and 6 rebounds in Central Connecticut’s first win over St. Francis this season, 75-61 Jan. 13.
St. Francis (PA) vs. Central Connecticut Prediction and Pick
In KenPom, St. Francis is tabbed as one of the worst teams in the country. The Red Flash rank No. 356 overall, which is the seventh-worst in the nation. Whichever side of the ball you want to attack, St. Francis has been lackluster this season. Offensively, the Red Flash are No. 346 in efficiency and are No. 335 in shooting from inside the arc.
St. Francis is great at creating second-shots as they lead the NEC in offensive rebounds per game (11.9), but it hasn’t turned into points. The Red Flash don’t take advantage at the charity stripe, either, ranking No. 361 in the nation (second-worst) in free-throw shooting.
Unfortunately for St. Francis, they matchup against one of the best defenses in the NEC. Central Connecticut is allowing opponents to shoot just 42.2% from the field and speaking of second-chance opportunities, the Blue Devils allow the second-fewest offensive rebounds per game (9.7).
The Central Connecticut offense is top-3 in the NEC in nearly every offensive metric sans 3-point shooting, but the Blue Devils don’t rely heavily on shots from the perimeter, attempting just 20.8 triples per game. St. Francis lacks any offensive explosiveness without Gregory in the lineup over the last 10 games. Lay the big number with Central Connecticut.
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.