March Madness Round 1: Northwestern vs FAU Analysis & Score

Northwestern vs Florida Atlantic Betting Lines: FAU Up to -2.5

Northwestern vs FAU Final Score

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Northwestern vs Florida Atlantic Betting Preview

For the first time in program history, Northwestern is making back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. The ninth-seeded Wildcats will face eighth-seeded Florida Atlantic in first-round play on Friday (12:15 p.m. ET) in Brooklyn, N.Y. The winner will advance to likely face No. 1 UConn, last year’s March Madness winner.

Florida Atlantic is a 2.5-point favorite and -142 on the moneyline, with Northwestern priced +120 to win outright. Meanwhile, oddsmakers have set the Over/Under at 142, with a slight edge to the Over at -112 odds.

What should bettors expect when making their NCAAB picks? Read on as we break down the Northwestern vs Florida Atlantic betting lines in our NCAA Tournament game preview.

Owls logo Florida Atlantic Owls vs Northwestern Wildcats Wildcats logo

Day/Time:
Location: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, N.Y.
Streaming: CBS

Owls vs Wildcats Betting Trends

The Northwestern Wildcats are 17-13-2 ATS, including 6-2 over their last eight games. As for the Over/Under, the Wildcats are 18-13-1. Meanwhile, the Florida Atlantic Owls are just 16-17 ATS, but have covered in four straight. The Owls’ games have trended toward the Over, as evidenced by their 17-15-1 record against the Over/Under.

Be sure to keep that in mind when assessing the Northwestern vs Florida Atlantic betting lines.

Northwestern Runs it Back with Buie

Northwestern is back to the NCAA Tournament after posting its second consecutive 20-win season under Chris Collins. Last year, the Wildcats lost in the second round to UCLA as a No. 7 seed.

The Wildcats (21-11) took a similar path to return, going 12-8 in Big Ten play to lock up an at-large bid. They are coming off a loss to Wisconsin in the conference quarterfinals.

Northwestern tends to play through Boo Buie, who is averaging 19.2 points on 45% shooting from the floor and 44.3% from 3. The senior guard had eight games with 25 points or more, including 31 in an overtime victory over Purdue in the Big Ten opener.

Injuries, however, have crippled Buie’s supporting cast. Guard Ty Berry will miss the tournament after a season-ending meniscus tear, while center Matthew Nicholson is questionable because of a foot injury. Their absences have forced others like Brooks Barnhizer and Ryan Langborg to step up and help relieve some of the pressure on Buie.

The Wildcats have sputtered of late, dropping three of their last four games. Still, their profile is relatively decent, with a No. 46 KenPom rating and quality wins over Dayton and Illinois, in addition to Purdue.

Northwestern typically operates at a methodical pace, grinding opponents down in the halfcourt with its experienced guard play. It ranks just 342nd in adjusted tempo, meaning it plays slower than most teams.

Despite that, the Wildcats have hit the Over in 58.1% of their games. That’s important for bettors to remember when analyzing the Northwestern vs Florida Atlantic betting lines.

 Cinderella’s Back at the Ball

Florida Atlantic returns to the Big Dance, looking to build on its Cinderella run to the Final Four as a No. 9 seed. Expectations are higher this year, even if the Owls are still just an eighth seed.

The Owls (25-8, 14-4) were ranked 10th in the preseason AP Top 25 poll and climbed as high as seventh following a 10-2 start, which featured a double-overtime upset of Arizona in in the Desert Holiday Classic. But they were unable to build off that, and an AAC Tournament semifinal loss to Temple only raised more questions about the Owls’ ceiling.

Dusty May’s team boasts strong peripheral rankings — No. 39 NET, No. 41 KenPom — but also has two Quad 4 losses, most of any at-large school. The Owls live on being unpredictable.

FAU has a dynamic guard in Johnell Davis, who averages 18.2 points and 6.3 points. Turnovers have been an issue of late for the fourth-year junior, but at his best he is capable of taking over games. Against Arizona, for instance, Davis exploded for 35 points, nine rebounds and three steals.

Alijah Martin and 7-foot-1 Vladislav Goldin, both of whom were also with the Owls last season, have starred alongside Davis.

FAU is ranked 16th in adjusted offensive efficiency, averaging 82.5 points. The Owls generate a decent amount of points from the perimeter, but they also like to work the paint with the big-bodied Goldin.

Handicapping the Game

As is typically the case with these No. 8/9 NCAAB matchups, oddsmakers expect this to be among the most competitive games of Round One. Buie is talented enough to keep Northwestern in it, but he’ll need strong contributions from his supporting cast to help keep up with Florida Atlantic.

The Owls may be difficult to figure out, but they at least are healthy as they hope to make another deep run through March. With so little margin for error this time of year, that could ultimately be the difference.

For NCAA basketball scores today, betting odds, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.


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