The Miami-Ohio RedHawks and the Western Illinois Leathernecks meet in college basketball action from Western Hall on Saturday afternoon.
The Miami-Ohio RedHawks will look to add to their unbeaten 5-0 start after back-to-back wins over subdivision opponents. Dae Dae Grant leasd the RedHAwks in scoring with 17 PPG and 4.4 APG while Mekhi Lairy has 14 PPG with 4.6 APG ad Precious Ayan has 11.6 PPG. Dalone Brown has 11.4 PPG with 7.4 RPG to lead the RedHawks on the glass and to finish off the offense in double figures for Miami-Ohio this season. Isaiah Coleman-Lands also has a team-high 4.8 APG as well this season for the RedHawks this season. As a team, Miami-Ohio is averaging 89 PPG on 51.1% shooting from the field, 38.2% from three and 72.9% from the foul line while allowing 60.2 PPG on 35.8% shooting from the field and 28.9% from three this season.
The Western Illinois Leathernecks will try to bounce back from a 72-68 loss at the hands of Eastern Michigan last time out. Will Carius leads the Leathernecks in scoring with 15.8 PPG while Luka Barisic has 15.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG and Colton Sandage has 13.5 PPG and a team-high 3.8 APG. Trenton Massner has 12.3 PPG with 6.3 RPG to make up the group of double-digit scorers for WIU so far this season while Tamell Pearson also has 6.3 RPG as well this season. As a team, Western Illinois is averaging 80.0 PPG, 42.9% shooting from the field, 33.5% from three and 63% from the foul line while allowing 72.8 PPG on 43.2% shooting from the field and 35.6% from three this season.
Miami-Ohio is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 road games against a team with a winning home record and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall while the under is 10-4 in their last 14 Saturday games. Western Illinois is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games overall and 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 home games while the over is 4-0 in their last 4 Saturday games.
I get the case to be made for either side here, but I’m leaning towards Miami-Ohio in this one. The Red Hawks have really sat down everyone that’s stood in their way so far this season while the Leathernecks have had troubles wih teams that are on or above their level. Give me Miami-Ohio here.