by Team Del Genio
Thursday, Feb 29, 2024IUPUI-Fort Wayne has been sneaky good when playing on the road this season. Going into their clash against Wright State on Wednesday, Purdue-Fort Wayne had a 9-6 record away from home with a +5.4 net point differential. They had beaten Northern Kentucky on the road in conference play who currently had an 11-7 record in the Horizon League. They also beat Oakland on the road in December, and the Grizzlies went into the day in first place in the Horizon League with a 14-5 record. Their previous victory before their loss on Sunday was at Wisconsin-Milwaukee last Friday, 85-59, and the Phoenix have a 12-6 record in the conference. The Mastodons had covered the point spread in twenty-eight of their last forty-one games on the road when the oddsmakers installed them as an underdog from 3.5 to 6 points.
Purdue-Fort Wayne went into that game having won two games in a row before a 96-88 loss at Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. The Mastodons had covered the point spread in fifteen of their last twenty games on the road after playing their previous game on the road.
They were playing a Raiders team that appeared ripe for a letdown. Wright State was on a three-game winning streak in Horizon League play after sweeping their two-game road trip last week. The Raiders won at Detroit, 93-78, last Thursday before a 96-75 upset win at Oakland as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. They were coming back home where they had an 8-5 record yet they have covered the point spread just twice in their last seven games when playing at home with the oddsmakers installing the over/under from 160 to 169.5. Wright State had not covered the point spread in their last four games after winning their two previous games on the road, and they had covered the point spread only three times in their last fifteen games at home after winning two games in a row on the road. They have covered the point spread in nine of their last thirty-one games after a victory on the road where they scored 85 or more points.
The Raiders had made 53.3% or more of their shots in three straight games, yet they had covered the point spread in three of their last fourteen games after making 50% or more of their shots in three straight games. Wright State had covered the point spread just once in their last five games at home when the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite of up to six points or as a pick ‘em.
These were the reasons why we chose Purdue-Fort Wayne as our NCAA-B Horizon League Underdog of the Year in their matchup with Wright State on Wednesday. The Mastodons started strong by taking a 39-34 lead going into halftime. The Raiders quickly battled back in the second half by scoring the first eight points to take a 42-39 lead. Yet Purdue-Fort Wayne then went on an 8-2 run over their own to retake a three-point lead. It was a close game the rest of the way before the game went into overtime after a 74-74 deadlock after regulation time. The Mastodons outscored Wright State in overtime, 5-3, to pull the 79-77 upset.
IUPUI-Fort Wayne will not have a flashy record going into the Horizon League tournament coming up next week. Yet their ability to play well in hostile environments could help them be a dangerous underdog in that tournament, especially if they get some breaks with their draw.
Good luck - Team Del Genio.
Purdue-Fort Wayne went into that game having won two games in a row before a 96-88 loss at Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. The Mastodons had covered the point spread in fifteen of their last twenty games on the road after playing their previous game on the road.
They were playing a Raiders team that appeared ripe for a letdown. Wright State was on a three-game winning streak in Horizon League play after sweeping their two-game road trip last week. The Raiders won at Detroit, 93-78, last Thursday before a 96-75 upset win at Oakland as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. They were coming back home where they had an 8-5 record yet they have covered the point spread just twice in their last seven games when playing at home with the oddsmakers installing the over/under from 160 to 169.5. Wright State had not covered the point spread in their last four games after winning their two previous games on the road, and they had covered the point spread only three times in their last fifteen games at home after winning two games in a row on the road. They have covered the point spread in nine of their last thirty-one games after a victory on the road where they scored 85 or more points.
The Raiders had made 53.3% or more of their shots in three straight games, yet they had covered the point spread in three of their last fourteen games after making 50% or more of their shots in three straight games. Wright State had covered the point spread just once in their last five games at home when the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite of up to six points or as a pick ‘em.
These were the reasons why we chose Purdue-Fort Wayne as our NCAA-B Horizon League Underdog of the Year in their matchup with Wright State on Wednesday. The Mastodons started strong by taking a 39-34 lead going into halftime. The Raiders quickly battled back in the second half by scoring the first eight points to take a 42-39 lead. Yet Purdue-Fort Wayne then went on an 8-2 run over their own to retake a three-point lead. It was a close game the rest of the way before the game went into overtime after a 74-74 deadlock after regulation time. The Mastodons outscored Wright State in overtime, 5-3, to pull the 79-77 upset.
IUPUI-Fort Wayne will not have a flashy record going into the Horizon League tournament coming up next week. Yet their ability to play well in hostile environments could help them be a dangerous underdog in that tournament, especially if they get some breaks with their draw.
Good luck - Team Del Genio.
