FAU vs Tulane NCAA Matchup: Owls Favored on Road
Tulane Winning, But Schedule is Suspect
The Florida Atlantic Owls (11-4) visit the Big Easy Thursday night, as they take on the Tulane Green Wave (10-4). The Owls have hit a speed bump, dropping two of their last three games since upsetting Arizona. The losses have been close, but the record book doesn’t give special treatment to tough losses. The Green Wave are 8-1 at home this season, although they really haven’t beaten anyone good. But again, the college basketball scoreboard reports wins and losses the same, regardless of the team played. The FAU vs Tulane NCAA matchup shows the Owls are favored by 7 points and the total on the game is at 162.
Owls vs Green Wave 
Location: Fogelman Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
Day/Time:
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
FAU Seeks to Get Back on Track
No. 24 Florida Atlantic has some big wins this season, with the victory over Arizona obviously the biggest. But the Owls also have some bad losses, falling to Bryant, Florida Gulf Coast, and Charlotte. The loss to FGCU is a bit forgivable, coming on the heels of the Arizona upset, but the other two losses are not. Teams that want to be given consideration for the NCAA Tournament don’t lose to those types of teams. As a result, the Owls have seen their odds to win March Madness climb to +3000. If you get the team that beats Arizona on a consistent basis, that’s not a bad bet. If you get the team that lost to Bryant, it’s a horrible wager.
Florida Atlantic can score. The Owls are averaging 81.9 points against teams allowing 69.7. FAU is a solid 3-point shooting team at 36.6%, but the team’s strength is its 2-point shooting. The Owls shot 57.5% on 2-pointers, which is No. 13 in the nation. FAU isn’t a good foul-shooting team and it cost them in the 72-68 loss to Florida Gulf Coast. Florida Atlantic was just 16 for 27 at the free-throw line. But the Owls don’t make a lot of turnovers and are above average at grabbing offensive rebounds. So the points will come.
FAU is decent on the defensive end. The Owls hold teams averaging 76.2 points per game to 70 points. Teams are shooting 42.5% against Florida Atlantic and FAU’s inside defense is the strength of the team. The Owls hold teams to 47.7% on 2-pointers, which is No. 91 in the country.
Green Wave Need Marquee Wins
There’s nothing wrong with Tulane’s 10-4 record. There are plenty of teams who would gladly exchange their record for Tulane’s. But there are also quite a few teams who would have a record equal to the Green Wave’s if they played the same schedule. Kenpom Rankings has Tulane playing the No. 295 schedule in the country. The Green Wave have only played four teams ranked in Pomeroy’s top 100 and have lost all four.
The Green Wave is a decent offensive team. Tulane is averaging 86.9 points per game against teams allowing 74.3 points. The Green Wave is a little better than average shooting the 3-pointer at 34.2%. But the team’s strength on offense is 2-point shooting, where the Green Wave makes 61.1%, which is fourth-best in the nation. By getting the ball inside, Tulane is also one of the best teams in the country at getting to the foul line. Once there, the Green Wave is solid, shooting 76.3% from the charity stripe. Tulane doesn’t make a lot of turnovers, but it’s one of the worst NCAA teams in the county at getting offensive rebounds.
The Green Wave defense is pretty average. Tulane does a good job at forcing turnovers but is allowing too many good looks from the outside. Teams are shooting 34.5% on 3-pointers against the Green Wave. Tulane also allows too many offensive rebounds, something that could hurt it in this game.
What to Expect
The FAU vs Tulane NCAA matchup notes the Owls are much more deliberate on offense than Tulane. It will be key for FAU not to get caught up in the Green Wave running game and play its style. The Owls are No. 210 in Pomeroy’s adjusted tempo ratings. FAU has the shooters to make shots against the Tulane defense. But the Owls can’t run up and down the court and make turnovers.
Tulane is going to try and run. The Green Wave doesn’t want to get into a half-court game with the Owls. Getting fast-break points has been one of their keys this season. A fast-paced game increases the chances of the Green Wave sticking around.
Who to Bet On?
The FAU vs Tulane NCAA matchup sees both teams have played three straight under. The total on this one is high, but it will be determined by the tempo of the game. The NCAAB picks and stats show Tulane opened the season 8-2 in totals before its three-game under streak.
FAU gets a huge edge in the strength of schedule. But the Owls are a hard team to bet on right now, as they’ve dropped their last three games against the point spread. From a value perspective, the under 162 makes the most sense in this one.
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