Overview
North Texas ends its Florida trip with a battle against FAU.
- Saturday, Feb 24 2018
- 6:00 p.m. CT
- FAU Arena , Boca Raton FL
- TV: CUSA TV
- Radio: MGRN – 88.1 KNTU-FM
- Line: North Texas -1.5
What You Need to Know About FAU
Record: 11-16 (5-10)
Last Game vs UNT: L 59-53
Last Game: Rice L 79-76
Scoring Margin: –0.1
CUSA Scoring Margin: -4.0
Projected Starting Lineups
North Texas
| Player | Position | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Woolridge 6-3 | G | 5.7 A/pg |
| Roosevelt Smart 6-3 | G | 19.2 PT/pg |
| A.J. Lawson 6-5 | G | 9.4 PT/pg |
| Allante Holston 6-7 | F | 3.9 PT/pg |
| Tope Arikawe 6-8 | F | 3.9 PT/pg |
FAU
| Player | Position | Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Massey 6-4 | G | 12.9 PT/pg |
| Payton Hulsey 6-5 | G | 6.0 PT/pg |
| Jailyn Ingram 6-7 | G | 8.8 PT/pg |
| William Pfister 6-10 | F | 6.7 REB/pg |
| Ronald Delph 7-0 | C | 14.2 PT/pg |
Game Plan
Attacking FAU
FAU Defensive Strategy: Man
Last game against FAU Smart was hampered with foul trouble. Smart only had 4 points. The real hero was AJ Lawson. His offensive outburst wasn’t one that many were expecting. Lawson did a great job attacking and finishing around the rim. Woolridge was another dude who had a good game. NT killed FAU on the offensive boards last game. The Mean Green grabbed 16. FAU’s coaches will most likely make that a point of emphasis today.
North Texas feels like a much different team offensively since then. The Mean Green look like they are operating with much more efficiency. That should give any NT fan hope that this is the game that stops the losing streak. Other reasons for hope are the continue improved play from Jorden Duffy. I get the feel that Duffy is close to a break out game.
Defending FAU
If Simmons doesn’t play which looks unlikely then North Texas is going to have a helluva time defending the size of FAU. Delph had a good game against NT when these two teams met in Denton. He was pretty much the only starter that scored double digits. The other primary threat for FAU Justin Massey scored only one point. Massey has been playing much better, scoring double digits in his last 5 games. The 6th man for FAU Gerdarius Troutman could be one to watch. He is the best 3pt shooter for FAU. Troutman has 15 3’s in the past 5 games.
FAU is going to follow the game plans of previous opponents of NT. The Owls are most likely going to throw lots of ball screens at NT. We all know that guys like Tope and Temara struggle in those situations. Hopefully NT has made a few adjustments. The other concern for NT in this game is front court depth. Tope often finds himself in foul trouble. McCasland would prefer that not happen. I dont think he wants to play Fuller or Temara. If Tope gets in foul trouble NT may go with a super small lineup. It will be something to watch.
Go To Guys
3 Points
- North Texas dominated FAU on the glass last time. Can they do that again without Simmons? FAU is one of the better rebounding teams in the conference.
- Second half defense has been suspect for UNT the past 4 games. FAU is the worst offensive team in CUSA. North Texas really needs to lock down the Owls.
- If Simmons doesn’t play Tope AND Temara have to have good games against the big front line of FAU. I’m not talking scoring I’m talking rebounding.
Inside the Advanced Stat Match-up
Prediction
North Texas is playing well on offense right now. FAU is playing better on offense too. This game is going to come down to NT’s ability to defend and attack the boards. I know I’ve preached a lot about defense, but to me this game comes down to the battle on the boards. I think NT will get a collective effort from everyone. I also think NT will find their defense. I think they will really get after FAU today.
My Pick: North Texas by 3
