College Basketball Picks: Cornell vs. Princeton

Cornell (15-5 SU 12-6 ATS) vs. Princeton (14-6 SU 7-10 ATS)
When: Friday, February 3rd: 7:00 ET
Where: Jadwin Gymnasium Princeton, NJ
TV: ESPN+
Point Spread: Cor +2.5/Pri -2.5 (Deposit $100 and get $100 FREE when you use bonus promo code PREDICT100 at MyBookie Sportsbook!)
Total: 157.5
Money Line: Cornell Big Red +121/Princeton Tigers -149

The Cornell Big Red will look to exact revenge for their 68-75 home loss on their home court in an important Ivy League game on Friday night versus Princeton. The two teams are tied atop the conference standings with 5-2 records, but as noted, the Tigers have the tiebreaker edge with the earlier victory. The oddsmaker has Princeton as a small -3 favorite with a total line of 156.5.

Line Movement

The public is all over Princeton on this game, and that has been reflected in the spread line moving from the Tigers -2.5 up to -3. The total opened at most betting sites at 157.5 and has since fallen a point to 156.5.

Last Game Info

Cornell is coming off an 80-73 win over Brown. However, they did not cover the spread in the game as -8 point favorites. The combined 153 points did not surpass the 154 total line.

Princeton most recently fell to Yale (87-65). Not only did the Tigers lose straight-up, but they picked up an ATS defeat as +3 point underdogs. The combined 152 points finished above the 140 total line.

Current Form

Cornell
Over their last five games, Cornell has a straight-up record of 3-2 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. Over this stretch, the Big Red offense averages 86.6 points per game while hitting 48.5% of their shots from the field. On the defensive end of the floor, they have allowed opponents to shoot 49.9% from the field while allowing 82.0 points per contest.

Princeton
In their previous five contests, Princeton is 3-2 straight-up and 2-3 vs. the spread. In these five games, they have a scoring average of 75.0 points per game on a shooting percentage of 46.3%. Defensively, they allow teams to hit 47.5% of their shots while giving up 75.4 points per game.

Average Power Rating Of Opponents Played

This season, the combined power rating of Cornell’s opponents comes in at 72.6. On the other side, Princeton’s combined opponent power rating sits at 71.9.

How Does Cornell Fare On The Road?

For the season, the Big Red have played ten road games and have a record of 6-4. In these contests, Cornell is 7-3 vs. the spread. Offensively, they have averaged 83.6 points per game on a shooting percentage of 48.6%. On defense, the Big Red allow 79.4 points per contest when playing away from home. So far, opposing teams have a field goal percentage of 48.8% in these games.

How Does Princeton Fare At Home?

In their ten games at home, Princeton has a 1-7 record vs. the spread while going 8-2 straight-up. On offense, the Tigers are shooting 45.8% on their home floor, leading to 77.8 points per game. Defensively, opponents are shooting 42.6% in these contests. The Princeton defense is allowing 67.5 points per game at home.

Offense vs. Defense

For the season, Cornell is averaging 79.2 points per game (24th) while posting an overall field goal percentage of 46.7%. In today’s game, they will be matched up against a Princeton defense that has allowed an average of 66.8 points per contest. This year, opponents have hit 42.5% of their shots vs. Princeton. On the other side, the Princeton Tigers are coming into the game averaging 79.9 points per game on a shooting percentage of 48.8%. The Tigers will be facing a defensive unit allowing an average of 74.2 points per contest. So far, teams have hit 44.1% of their shots vs. the Big Red.

Three-Point Shooting

From beyond the arc, Cornell has a shooting percentage of 34.8% while ranking 100th in attempts per game. The Big Red will be facing a Princeton defense that has a 3-point field goal shooting percentage allowed of 32.7%. Princeton enters the game having hit 38.8% of their looks from deep while averaging 10.97 made 3’s per game. On the other end, Cornell has allowed opponents to hit 31.4% of their shots from beyond the arc.

Injuries Of Note

Cornell

• No Reported Injuries

Princeton

• No Reported Injuries

Pick Against The Spread

My thinking is that Nazir Williams will probably suit up tonight, but that’s only a guess. Even if he does play, I don’t think that is enough for them to get the win or even stay within the number. Sure, Cornell has the better offense, but the difference between the two defenses is massive. Princeton’s defeat to Yale is a bit worrisome, and they did need OT to get by Dartmouth. But, hey, the Big Red allowed 95 points to Harvard in a six-point loss the last time they were on the road. Take the small home favorite. Bet your college basketball predictions for FREE this week by scoring a 50% real cash bonus up to $250 in free wagers at the web’s best online sportsbook —> Bovada! They do all the important stuff perfectly! They’re live betting platform is incredible, wins get updated immediately after games are over, they pay fast and have a massive menu of prop bets each day! Click here to check them out!