Texas A&M vs. South Carolina prediction, pick, college basketball odds
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Texas A&M is proving they are a contender in the SEC, while South Carolina has taken a nosedive in conference play. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Texas A&M-South Carolina prediction and pick.
Texas A&M is 15-5 and has won three of its last four games. Its resume is littered with quality wins, such as those against Creighton, Texas Tech, Purdue, Texas, Oklahoma twice, and Ole Miss. They also have a bad loss against UCF, but losses to Oregon, Alabama, Kentucky, and Texas are not as bad. Zhuric Phelps and Wade Taylor IV are among the best duos in college basketball, and they should dominate the Gamecocks.
South Carolina is 10-11, has lost eight straight games, and is winless in the SEC. They only have one notable win against Clemson. However, they have losses to Indiana, Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma, Florida, and Georgia. Collin Murray-Boyles is one person on this offense who can consistently score. This would be a massive win because the Gamecocks have lost six straight to start SEC play.
Here are the Texas A&M-South Carolina College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Texas A&M-South Carolina Odds
Texas A&M: -5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -240
South Carolina: +5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +195
Over: 132.5 (-115)
Under: 132.5 (-105)
How to Watch Texas A&M vs. South Carolina
Time: 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT
TV: SEC Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Texas A&M Will Cover The Spread/Win
Texas A&M’s offense has struggled in comparison to their defense. They score 75.3 points per game, have a 42.4% field goal percentage, and a 30.7% three-point shooting percentage. The advanced metrics like this offense more than the normal stats because they are 35th in adjusted offense and have a 116.9 KenPom rating.
This offense only has two consistent scorers in both Phelps and Taylor IV. Phelps leads the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game, while Taylor IV averages 14.7 points. Taylor IV also leads the team in assists at 4.7 per game, but as a team, the Aggies are struggling to pass the ball and only average 12.2 assists per game. The Aggies are littered with talent across this roster, and against South Carolina, they should dominate this matchup against the Gamecocks.
The Aggies’ defense has been amazing this season. They allow 65.9 points per game, 39.5% from the field, and 31.6% from behind the arc. In KenPom, their defensive rating is 92.3, which is seventh in adjusted defense. The frontcourt has been very balanced, but no one has been impressive. Solomon Washington leads the team in rebounding with 5.8 per game, and he is tied with Pharrel Payne in blocks per game with 1.2 per game.
Regarding on-ball defense, four Aggies are averaging at least one steal, with Phelps leading the team with 1.9 per game. The Aggies have the talent to completely shut down South Carolina because the Gamecocks have been unable to do much on offense.
South Carolina’s offense has been awful this season and is statistically the worst in the SEC. They score 70.4 points per game, have a 43.4% field goal percentage, and a 32.6% three-point shooting percentage. They are also awful on KenPom, with a 108.3 offensive rating of 147th in KenPom.
Two Gamecocks are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Collin Murray-Boyles being the best scorer on the roster, averaging 15.3 points per game. Then, Jamarii Thomas also leads the team in assists with 3.3 per game, and the entire team is averaging a total of 13.3 assists per game. This offense has not played well this season, and they get a bad matchup in this game against Mississippi State.
Why South Carolina Will Cover The Spread/Win
South Carolina’s defense has been very inconsistent this year. They allow 68.9 points per game, 44% from the field and 32.5% from behind the arc. KenPom still ranks the Gamecocks in the top 40. They have an adjusted defensive efficiency rating of 97.7. Down low, Murray-Boyles is the best player and dominates on offense and defense.
He leads the team with 8.9 rebounds per game, in blocks with 1.3 per game, and steals with 1.6 per game. The Gamecocks should be able to slow down A&M in this matchup at home, but they don’t have much chance of slowing Phelps or Taylor IV.
Final Texas A&M-South Carolina Prediction & Pick
Texas A&M is easily the better team. I’d trust Phelps and Taylor IV over anyone on South Carolina, including Murray-Boyles. The Aggies also have one of the best defenses in college basketball. In this game, the Aggies won and covered on the road, sending the Gamecocks to nine straight losses in SEC play.
Final Texas A&M-South Carolina Prediction & Pick: Texas A&M -5.5 (-110)
The post Texas A&M vs. South Carolina prediction, pick, college basketball odds appeared first on ClutchPoints.
