by Chuck Sommers
Sunday, Jan 16, 2022
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Venue: Hynes Athletic Center, New Rochelle, NY
Where to watch: ESPN3
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: NL
BetMGM: Iona -12.5
Caesars: Iona -11
Season record
Niagara: 7-7 (2-3 MAAC)
Iona: 13-3 (5-0 MAAC)
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Niagara - Iona preview, analysis and prediction
The top team in the MAAC will not stop scoring the basketball. That's good for the outright winner, which I expect the Iona Gaels to defeat the Niagara Purple Eagles on Sunday, but I like Niagara to cover as 11-point dogs against Iona.
After a 3-6 start to the season and two games postponed/canceled, the Purple Eagles have won four of five and have righted the ship back to a .500 record.
Niagara is coming off consecutive home wins, one of them a revenge victory on Jan. 9 against Quinnipiac after losing 77-68 on the road back on Dec. 31.
That 76-66 win came with the Eagles as 4.5-point favorites and saw Noah Thomasson score a career-high 21 points. Four days later, Niagara took care of business as 6.5-point favorites at home in a 68-58 win over Canisius.
Marcus Hammond had a game-high 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting, as the Eagles covered for the third time in four games after failing to do so their previous three. Niagara improved to 4-2 against the spread on the road while Iona is just 3-3 ATS at home, where the Gaels are 6-0 straight up this season.
Iona has won two straight after losing by one at Saint Louis, with the most recent being a 12-point win over Manhattan in which the Gaels did not cover. Iona has gone 1-3 in its last four against the spread with those losses coming as favorites of at least 7.5 points.
Iona was 15-point favorites against Manhattan with the over cashing in four of the last six.
I don't think there's any doubt that Iona eventually wins this straight up, but given how Saturday went in the college basketball world, nothing would make sense anymore. Given how this weekend has gone, I'd be safe and go with the double-digit dogs and ensure there's a cover. Things haven't been that great since Iona came back from a COVID pause, and until further notice, all spreads of that caliber are on notice. Iona by 8
After a 3-6 start to the season and two games postponed/canceled, the Purple Eagles have won four of five and have righted the ship back to a .500 record.
Niagara is coming off consecutive home wins, one of them a revenge victory on Jan. 9 against Quinnipiac after losing 77-68 on the road back on Dec. 31.
That 76-66 win came with the Eagles as 4.5-point favorites and saw Noah Thomasson score a career-high 21 points. Four days later, Niagara took care of business as 6.5-point favorites at home in a 68-58 win over Canisius.
Marcus Hammond had a game-high 28 points on 9 of 16 shooting, as the Eagles covered for the third time in four games after failing to do so their previous three. Niagara improved to 4-2 against the spread on the road while Iona is just 3-3 ATS at home, where the Gaels are 6-0 straight up this season.
Iona has won two straight after losing by one at Saint Louis, with the most recent being a 12-point win over Manhattan in which the Gaels did not cover. Iona has gone 1-3 in its last four against the spread with those losses coming as favorites of at least 7.5 points.
Iona was 15-point favorites against Manhattan with the over cashing in four of the last six.
I don't think there's any doubt that Iona eventually wins this straight up, but given how Saturday went in the college basketball world, nothing would make sense anymore. Given how this weekend has gone, I'd be safe and go with the double-digit dogs and ensure there's a cover. Things haven't been that great since Iona came back from a COVID pause, and until further notice, all spreads of that caliber are on notice. Iona by 8
Betting trends
Niagara is 16-6 ATS the past three seasons following two straight games of 12 assists or less.
Niagara is 11-5 ATS off a home win in its past 16.
Iona is 1-8 ATS in its last nine as a home favorite between 6.5 and 12 points.
Iona is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 off consecutive wins against conference opponents.
Iona is 5-1 ATS this season off consecutive games as a favorite.
Projected starting lineup
Niagara:
PG: Justin Roberts
SG: Marcus Hammond
SF: Noah Thomasson
PF: Sam Iorio
C: Jordan Cintron
SF: Noah Thomasson
PF: Sam Iorio
C: Jordan Cintron
Iona:
PG: Elijah Joiner
SG: Berrick JeanLouis
SF: Tyson Jolly
PF: Nelly Joseph
C: Quinn Slazinski
SF: Tyson Jolly
PF: Nelly Joseph
C: Quinn Slazinski
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
