Rhode Island (17-3, 9-0) at Massachusetts (10-12, 3-6)
When: Tuesday, January 30th 2018
Where: Mullins Center, Amherst, MA
Time: 6:30 ET | TV: CBS Sports Network
Opening Odds: Rhode Island -9.5
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The Rhode Island Rams have been rolling through the Atlantic 10 Conference this season, but are coming off a big scare on Saturday and will look for a better effort when they go for the season sweep of the Massachusetts Minutemen on Tuesday in Amherst. The Rams have won 12 straight games by an average of 15.2 points, but needed a Stanford Robinson 3-pointer as time expired Saturday against Duquesne to prevail in one of the few close games during their win streak. Robinson had only seven points on the night, but came through when it mattered most for a Rams team who overcame a 15-point deficit in the final 16 minutes. Robinson is third on the team in scoring at 10.2 points, but is capable of coming up with big games, like the 17 points and 12 rebounds he had in a 73-51 victory in the first meeting with UMass. Luwane Pipkins enjoyed his 15th straight game in double figures Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Minutemen past Fordham, a team Rhode Island beat by 20 points three days earlier. UMass followed a three-game winning streak by losing their last four.
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Jeff Dowtin continues to run the offense with efficiency for the Rams, who are ranked in the top 20 now and could be in line for a high seed if they win out. Dowtin recorded his seventh straight game with five assists or more against Duquesne and did so without committing a turnover in 30 minutes of action. Dowtin is third in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.70 for the Rams, who have won three straight against the Minutemen, but still face a 62-88 deficit in the series, including 24-52 in Amherst. Rhode Island will be at second place Virginia Commonwealth on Friday.
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UMass guard Carl Pierre is the most dangerous 3-point shooter in the Atlantic 10 at 47.5%, but will be going up against a Rams team who are second in their conference and 21st in the nation in defending the three. Pierre, a freshman from Boston, was 0-for-2 from long range in the first meeting with Rhode Island and scored only five points, but has made 7-of-16 since. Fellow freshman Unique McLean, will look to build on the career-high 14 points and his first career double-double with 12 rebounds that he put up in the loss to Fordham.
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Rhode Island has a target on them being the lone undefeated team in the conference and Amherst is a tough place to play. I expect the Minutemen to give a much better effort than they did in the first meeting. The Rams will win the game, but UMass will keep it close with their three-point shooting.
Pick: Massachusetts +9.5
- Rams are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Tuesday games.
- Rams are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Rams are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Rams are 9-2-1 ATS in their last 12 road games.
- Rams are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 vs. Atlantic 10.
- Rams are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Rams are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Rams are 21-7-1 ATS in their last 29 games following a straight up win.
- Rams are 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games overall.
- Minutemen are 17-35-2 ATS in their last 54 vs. Atlantic 10.
- Minutemen are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
- Minutemen are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Tuesday games.
- Minutemen are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Minutemen are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
- Under is 4-0 in Rams last 4 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Over is 4-0 in Rams last 4 road games.
- Over is 8-1 in Rams last 9 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 8-1 in Rams last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 8-3 in Rams last 11 vs. Atlantic 10.
- Over is 5-2 in Rams last 7 overall.
- Over is 5-2 in Rams last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 5-1 in Minutemen last 6 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Under is 9-3 in Minutemen last 12 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 12-4 in Minutemen last 16 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 8-3 in Minutemen last 11 Tuesday games.
- Under is 7-3 in Minutemen last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings in Massachusetts.
- Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
