The rebuilding project at Texas State by fourth-year college basketball head coach Danny Kasper is exceeding expectations as the Bobcats won five of their last eight games last year and advanced to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
Kasper is known for turning losing college basketball programs into winning institutions as evidenced by his previous tenures at both Incarnate Word and Stephen F. Austin. The Bobcats enter tonight’s home game with a 10-8 record (2-3 in conference play) and have an opportunity to reach .500 in the Sun Belt with a win over reeling Louisiana-Monroe.
Louisiana-Monroe takes the court having lost six consecutive games, all of which came against conference opponents. The Warhawks are just 1-11 SU on the road this season where they are averaging 61.8 points per game on 38.1% shooting from the field and 29.7% from beyond the arc.
Louisiana-Monroe will struggle to reach the 60-point threshold against a stout Texas State defense that is limiting opponents to a mere 61.0 points per game at home on 39.7% shooting from the floor and 27.6% from three-point territory. Overall, Texas State is 5.9 points per game better than average (64.2 points per game to teams that would combine to average 70.1 points per game).
Meanwhile, the Warhawks are 5.5 points per game worse than average offensively (67.4 points per game against teams that would combine to allow 72.9 points per game). Louisiana-Monroe is shooting 65.3% from the free throw line, including making just 63.9% of their foul shouts on the road.
Let’s also note that the Warhawks are 0-5 SU and 2-3 ATS in teir last five games over which time they are averaging 57.0 points on 36.6% shooting from the field, 27.4% from beyond the arc and 53.6% from the charity stripe. Louisiana-Monroe’s offensive ineptitude has also been evident in conference play where the Warhawks are averaging 60.0 points per game (37.3% FG%; 29.4% 3-PT%; 60.2% FT%).
The ascending Bobcats will also be focused on avenging last year’s humiliating 76-57 loss to Louisiana-Monroe on their home floor, as well as making amends for a 72-59 defeat on the Warhawks’ home floor. From a technical standpoint, Texas State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games following a loss, 7-2-1 ATS in its last ten games as a home favorite and 10-4 ATS in its last fourteen conference affairs.
With Louisiana-Monroe standing at 0-4 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5-points or less, lay the points with the Bobcats as Oskeim Sports’ Free College Basketball Pick for Monday, January 23.
Oskeim Sports’ Free College Basketball Pick: Texas State (-6) (-110)