Oklahoma vs Seton Hall Odds
| Oklahoma Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -110 | 128 -110o / -110u | +132 |
| Seton Hall Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -110 | 128 -110o / -110u | -159 |
The Oklahoma Sooners and Seton Hall Pirates will meet in the semifinals of the ESPN Events Invitational after each team had a standout performance from one player on Thursday.
For Oklahoma, Tanner Groves bounced back in a big way after going 0-10 from beyond the arc in his last game against South Alabama. Groves only missed one shot the entire game against Nebraska, while also making every attempt from 3. He finished with 17 points to lead the team in scoring against the Huskers.
Meanwhile, Seton Hall has four players averaging between 10-12 points a game, with each one making at least one 3-pointer at some point in their first four games.
However, Tyrese Samuel had not made a 3-pointer before Thursday, but he wasted no time against Memphis as he scored the first basket for the Pirates from beyond the arc. More importantly, his second 3 of the game and the season came in the closing seconds to give the Pirates the 70-69 win over the Tigers. Samuel’s 14 points against Memphis led the team.
Oklahoma and Seton Hall have both relied heavily on their defenses to win games so far this season, but to get to the championship game of this tournament, they’ll need to step up on the offensive end.
Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners are 4-1 on the season, with their one loss coming against Sam Houston State in their opener. Since that opening loss, they have outscored opponents by 12 points per game and held their opponents to 60 points or fewer in every game.
Grant Sherfield has led the Sooners in scoring with 14.4 points per game, which ranks in the 89th percentile among all Division I players. He's a threat from beyond the arc as he is hitting 40.9% from deep, but his greatest asset has been creating shots for other players–specifically the dynamic duo of Groves brothers. Sherfield ranks in the 98th percentile of D1 players with 5.4 assists per game.
As a team, Oklahoma has been one of the best in the country on the defensive end, holding opposing teams to 41.9% Effective Field Goal percentage. The Sooners are even better at defending shots on the perimeter, where they rank sixth nationally and are holding teams to just 22.1%.
Fouling hasn't been an issue for the Sooners so far this season as they are averaging just 15 total fouls per game. They’ll need to be extra careful against a Seton Hall team that is drawing 23 fouls per contest so far and ranks fifth in the country in free throw attempts per game.
Seton Hall Pirates
The Pirates are also 4-1 on the season, but their one loss came on the road against a tough Iowa Hawkeyes team. However, prior to taking down Memphis, Seton Hall had not recorded a win against any team ranked among the top 225 by KenPom. The win was huge for a Pirates team fighting fraud allegations.
Seton Hall might be one of the most balanced and deep teams in the country with nine players averaging 18 or more minutes a game and six players averaging seven or more points. The Pirates rank eighth in bench minutes among all teams, while Oklahoma is 192nd.
The Pirates offense has been solid, but turnovers have been a nagging issue as they average 16.2 per game, ranking 313th in all of college basketball. This shouldn't be much of an issue against an Oklahoma team that is only forcing 9.4 turnovers a game, but giving away additional possessions could be all the Sooners need to pull away in this one.
Oklahoma’s defense is one of the best in the country, but Seton Hall's is even better. The Pirates defense is holding teams to a 38.7% Effective Field Goal percentage. They’ve been great at defending everywhere on the floor as they have held opposing teams to just 41.3% on 2-point shots and 22.3% on 3-pointers; both rank among the top 20 in the country.
Defensively, Seton Hall has also been great at creating turnovers, unlike the Sooners, as the Pirates have turned opponents over on 23.5% of possessions. They also rank among the top 100 in both Steal and Block Percentage, per KenPom.
Oklahoma vs Seton Hall Betting Pick
With both teams boasting strong defenses, I expect this to be a low scoring affair. Additionally, I don’t see the Pirates looking to push the pace in this one, and I expect the Sooners and their 335th-ranked Adjusted Tempo to dictate the tempo. Consequently, I’m looking to back the under in this one.
I grabbed the opener of 128 but wouldn’t take it any lower than that. With the total already dropping at some shops, play the first-half under if 128 isn't available. Both teams have held opponents to fewer than 27 points per game in the first half so far this season, and with this being their first time this season playing a game two days in a row, I can definitely see both teams coming out slow to start.
