Bryant vs Florida Atlantic Odds, Pick
| Bryant Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+22.5 -110 | 155.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
| Florida Atlantic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-22.5 -110 | 155.5 -110o / -110u | OFF |
Below, we have Bryant vs. FAU odds and a pick, including a college basketball betting guide for Saturday, Nov. 18.
Everyone's favorite Cinderella — Florida Atlantic — is back in action on Saturday in Boca, this time taking on the overmatched Bryant Bulldogs.
Bryant has a new head coach in Phil Martelli Jr., and the Bulldogs will be hoping a new head coach translates to a new caliber of basketball, as the results to start this season have been underwhelming — to say the least.
Bryant finds itself with one win in four games, but it's still searching for its first win against a Division I opponent.
Florida Atlantic would be an extremely unlikely place to get it, as the Owls are the highest-ranked team on Bryant's schedule.
It's hard to find much to like in this matchup for the Bulldogs, but there's plenty to dissect in a positive way for the Owls.
Let's take a closer look.
Bryant Bulldogs
Bryant has been the center of controversy, as its original head coach Jared Grasso was forced to step down to deal with a "need for a mental and physical break." Grasso had led the Bulldogs to three consecutive winning seasons, and his departure leaves them in a very tough spot.
Bryant likes to play fast — which contrasts with Florida Atlantic's preferred style of play — and it will be interesting to watch which team is able to control the tempo and assert its will on the game.
But while the Bulldogs play fast, they don't do much well on the offensive end other than make 3s (35.8% from deep). This team is one of the worst in the country at scoring inside, making just 40.9% of its shots inside the arc.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are a mess, as they allow teams to score both inside and out on a regular basis, and rank 298th in the country at limiting offensive rebounds, allowing opponents to board 35.2% of their misses.
There will be plenty of opportunities for Florida Atlantic to use its sizable talent gap to create separation on the scoreboard in this game.
Florida Atlantic Owls
Florida Atlantic returns all the key pieces from last year's magical run to the Final Four. After opening the season with a 13-point win over Loyola Chicago, the Owls went back home to Boca and absolutely destroyed Eastern Michigan by 43 points.
The Owls had six players score in double figures in that game, led by Vlad Goldin, their monstrous center down low. The 7-foot-1 big man is too much of a physical force for undersized teams to handle, and it's hard to see how he doesn't dominate against Bryant.
FAU currently rates in the top 40 in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency, according to KenPom. The Owls' balance is their biggest strength, and they have the advantage on both sides of the ball here.
Bryant vs. Florida Atlantic
Betting Pick & Prediction
With such a complete team on both ends, it's hard to see Florida Atlantic making enough mistakes to open the door for a team like Bryant to make things interesting.
Martelli Jr. has a tough task in front of him in his debut, and while has father is thriving as an interim head coach, it's the smart play to fade the young head coach here.
Pick: Florida Atlantic -22
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