Rhode Island vs. St. Bonaventure Odds, Picks, Predictions: Bonnies to Continue Streak? (Tuesday, February 22)
Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Jaren Holmes (St. Bonaventure)
- St. Bonaventure hosts Rhode Island as it looks to continue its recent success in the Atlantic 10.
- Meanwhile, the Rams have gone backwards, losing eight of their last nine games.
- Kyle Remillard breaks down the matchup and offers up his best bet.
Rhode Island vs. St. Bonaventure Odds
| Rhode Island Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -110 | 135 -110o / -110u | +350 |
| St. Bonaventure Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -110 | 135 -110o / -110u | -465 |
The Atlantic 10 has been one of the harder conferences to pinpoint on any given night.
St. Bonaventure was the preseason favorite to repeat as regular season champions, as it returned almost all of its production. That won’t be a reality after the Bonnies opened the Atlantic 10 with a 4-4 record.
Many attributed those struggles to the lack of depth on the roster. But since the slow start in conference play, the program has ripped off five victories in a row. The group has been especially dominant at home this season, owning a 12-2 record when playing in upstate New York.
They hope to keep that streak alive, as they welcome in a Rhode Island team that has lost eight of its last nine. The Rams have been putrid when playing on the road, owning just a 3-7 record.
Home court advantage will be a pivotal factor as we head down the stretch of conference play.
Rhode Island Rams
Rhode Island opened the season 12-4, with all of its victories coming against opponents that rank outside the top 150 in the country, according to KenPom. Since that span, the Rams have won only one of their last nine conference games.
Rhode Island’s offense has struggled to replace the hole left in its offense when Fatts Russell transferred to Maryland. The offense ranks 238thin the nation in efficiency, according to KenPom, averaging just 67 points per game.
Much of that is due to a lack of fundamentals. Rhode Island ranks outside the top 300 in the country in turnover percentage (21%) and free throw percentage (64%).
Jeremy Sheppard is the only outside shooting threat for the program, as he has connected on 36% of his 111 3-point attempts. The Rams' offense is led by a pair of 6-foot-10 twins Makhel and Makhi Mitchell. The duo averages a combined 20 points and 13 rebounds per game.
The Mitchell brothers have had a pivotal impact on the defensive end of the floor. They’ve led Rhode Island to the 11th ranked 2-point defense, holding opponents to 44%. The Mitchell brothers have combined for 98 blocks on the season.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
St. Bonaventure has been more reliant on its starting five than any team in the country. The group ranks dead last in the country in bench minutes, with all five starters averaging over 30 minutes per game.
For that reason, all five starters average between 11 and 15 points per game.
The Bonnies have an experienced starting group that has played together for the last few seasons. Any chance of the Bonnies making one last run to the NCAA Tournament will need to come from winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
That puts an emphasis on the importance of the last five regular season games, as they try to stay ranked within the top four of the league.
The offense has been the backbone to the program’s success recently. The experienced group takes care of the basketball, ranking 33rd in turnover percentage.
The Bonnies are strong at scoring inside, where they find 57% of their points and hit at a 52% clip. But the shooting woes from outside have hindered the Bonnies' success.
Jalen Adaway and Dominick Welch have been elite from outside, hitting a combined 38% of their attempts. But Jaren Holmes and Kyle Lofton have connected on just 39% from deep.
Osun Osunniyi will be pivotal in this matchup. He needs to stay out of foul trouble and hold down the paint to contain the Mitchell brothers.
Rhode Island vs. St. Bonaventure Betting Pick
This is a tough matchup for Rhode Island, which doesn’t have much to play for at this point. The Rams are spiraling after dropping eight of their last nine, and have gone just 3-7 on the road. Now, they travel to face a St. Bonaventure group that has been elite at home.
The most interesting matchup in this game will be between the big men. St. Bonaventure's Osunniyi has been an elite shot blocker this season, swatting 69 attempts to lead the Atlantic 10. Rhode Island’s Makhel Mitchell is second in the conference with 66 blocks.
But Rhode Island is much more reliant on Michell’s production than St. Bonaventure is with Osunniyi.
The Bonnies' guards will be the difference maker in this matchup. They are likely to have a field day against the lackluster Rhode Island backcourt.
Rhode Island struggles to make free throws and to take care of the basketball. Those are two of the strengths for St. Bonaventure offensively, and will play a pivotal role in the Bonnies covering.
Pick: St. Bonaventure -8.5 (Play to -9.5)
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