BURN THE HORSE
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| ULM at UALR7 p.m. tonight Jack Stephens Center Vegas Says: UALR by 11 |
It will be interesting to see UALR match up with Louisiana-Monroe again. It’s difficult to get a reading on the Warhawks from the first meeting because UALR’s Courtney Jackson couldn’t miss. I’m not talking hook shots in the paint, I’m talking long-range jumpers from everywhere.
Did Jackson just have an exceptional night? Or does Louisiana-Monroe’s lineup present opportunities for him? It’s probably a little bit of both.
BTH Keys to Victory
FREE JACK The No. 1 key the last time these teams met is the same in this game. UALR needs to get Courtney Jackson heavily involved on offense. Louisiana-Monroe has been primarily a four-guard team, meaning one of their guards has to try to match up with Jackson. They’ve gone to a bigger lineup of late. He doesn’t have to make perimeter shots, but Jackson needs to be involved in the paint.
REBOUND Since the last time UALR played ULM, the Warhawks have gone with a bigger lineup with 6-7 Steven McClellan and 6-8 Christian Bibi Ndongo playing together. UALR still has to keep those guys off the glass. ULM had eight more offensive rebounds than Arkansas State on Thursday. Rebounds are a definite key.
BIG START UALR is 1-6 when it trails at halftime, winning only at Arkansas State. The Trojans have become much better at holding second-half leads but need a big start to get the crowd into it tonight.
WILL TO WIN Will Neighbour has had a week to recover with his ailing shoulder. We expect him to be a factor in this game tonight. Will doesn’t necessarily have to score big, but he needs to play solid defense and rebound.
Vegas, baby
UALR is a season-high 11-point favorite for tonight’s game. The Trojans are 2-2 as a favorite this season.
Predictions
- Omni Rankings (11-6): UALR 69, ULM 53
- Jeff Sagarin (14-8): UALR 75, ULM 60
- CBS Sports line (14-8): UALR 69, ULM 62
- The Sports Network (13-9): UALR 65, ULM 55
- Real Time RPI (12-10): UALR 75, ULM 57
- Combination: UALR 73, ULM 57
