Quinnipiac vs Niagara Picks and Odds (Jan. 9)

• The Quinnipiac Bobcats vie for a fifth straight win when these visit the Niagara Purple Eagles as betting underdogs
• The Bobcats posted as 77-68 home win over Niagara last weekend that marked the Purple Eagles fourth loss in five Division I contests
• Read on for all the odds and trends ahead of Sunday afternoon’s MAAC conference matchup at Gallagher Center

The Quinnipiac Bobcats vie for a fifth straight win when they visit the Niagara Purple Eagles on Sunday as 3.5-point underdogs. Tip off is set for 1:00pm ET on Sunday afternoon at Niagara University’s Gallagher Center.

Quinnipiac Bobcats vs Niagara Purple Eagles Odds

*Odds at  BetMGM as of January 8, 2022.

Bobcats vs Purple Eagles Betting Trends

Sunday afternoon’s matchup marks the second meeting between these Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rivals since New Year’s Eve. The Bobcats romped to a 77-68 victory as slim 1-point underdogs, and have now won and covered in four their past six dates with the Purple Eagles. However, the Bobcats have produced middling results in recent visits to Niagara, going 2-4 straight up and against the spread in their past six, and are winless SU and ATS in their past three dates with the Purple Eagles as road chalk.

MBB: Final from Hamden

Dezi Jones goes for 20 points and the Bobcats defeat the Purple Eagles 77-68. Up next for Quinnipiac is a road game at Canisius on January 7. #MAACHoops pic.twitter.com/zxSDVpP5ae

— Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network (@QBSN) December 31, 2021

Quinnipiac has been a reliable bet during its recent win streak, covering in each of those contests including two outright wins as road underdogs. Things have not gone so well for the Purple Eagles. Last week’s loss to the Bobcats marked their third defeat in five outings. That includes a decisive 81-71 loss to Fairfield as 3.5-point chalk that leaves them winless this season in two home dates versus Division I opponents.

Quinnipiac Bobcats Outlook

The result was never in last weekend’s win over Niagara. The Bobcats never trailed, and led by as many as 17 points, on their way to the win, and have claimed victory by an average margin of 14.3 points during their current 4-0 run. Fast starts have been a feature of the team’s current surge. The Bobcats piled up 46 points before recess last weekend, and have led at the half in four straight.

MBB: Kevin Marfo has been named the MAAC Player of the Week for Jan. 3.

Marfo picked up his sixth double-double of the 2021-22 season in a victory over Niagara on Dec. 31, registering 14 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.

(📸: @AlexBayer57)#MAACHoops pic.twitter.com/pcFxJNUjQm

— Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network (@QBSN) January 3, 2022

Quinnipiac has rediscovered its offensive touch during the team’s rebound. The team has averaged 78 points per game over their past four after tallying just 63 points per game during a preceding three-game SU slide.

Dezi Jones had a career high 20 pts in a win for Quinnipiac. He also had 8 ast, 5 reb, & 2 stl. He was 8-15 FG, 2-5 3FG, & 2-2 FT.

He's currently averaging 9.6 pts, 2.8 reb, & 2.6 ast. Nobody works harder than Dezi! I'm really proud of him & excited about the rest of his season! pic.twitter.com/6MLGmubIgg

— Cross Over Hoops (@COH_Training) January 4, 2022

Dezi Jones will be aiming to improve on a collegiate career-best 20-point performance in last week’s victory. The sophomore guard has also set a career-high with eight assists, and has now reached double-digits in three straight outings. Senior big man Kevin Marfo recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds, and has now compiled double-doubles in six of his past nine outings.

Niagara Purple Eagles Outlook

The Purple Eagles saw a two-game win streak snapped by last week’s loss to Quinnipiac. However, it is important to note that those victories came against Division II Buffalo State and the overmatched Albany Great Danes. Overall, Niagara has claimed outright wins in just one of its past five clashes with Division I opponents. They have averaged a meagre 62.4 points during that stretch, and currently rank 266th in the nation in points scored per game and 231st in adjusted offensive efficiency at Kenpom. Despite those trends, the OVER has paid out in three of their past four Division In contests.

#NCAA #Basketball Niagara -66-58 Albany
Jordan Cintron 🇵🇷🏀🇵🇷 (NI)
Pts 12
Reb 8
Asist 3
T2 4/7
Tl 4/5 pic.twitter.com/LLMmhepTA4

— NCAA BASKETBALL LATINOAMÉRICA (@NcaabasketLA) December 18, 2021

Slow starts have been problematic for the Purple Eagles, who have led at halftime just once in their past four outings, and averaged just 27.7 first-half points over their past three outings. The team’s shooters have also been far from efficient, shooting just 43.3 from the floor last weekend, and under 35% from beyond the arc for the fifth time in as many outings.

Marcus Hammond scored 20 points and added three rebounds as the Purple Eagles won at KeyBank Center. pic.twitter.com/Q7DJqv5kOm

— WGRZ (@WGRZ) December 18, 2021

One bright spot for the Purple Eagles has ben the play of Marcus Hammond. The senior guard has tallied double-digit point tallies in each of his 12 overall appearances this season, and leads the squad with 17.1 points and 2.8 assists per game. Senior big man Jordan Cintron led the club with 14 points and has averaged 6.8 rebounds per game over his past four outings.

The Pick: Bobcats +3.5 (-110)