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Eastern Kentucky just played back-to-back OT games, winning both. Some may believe that fatigue is coming for the Colonels however, this is a team that have been playing very fast all season and has been very efficient, offensively, throughout the CBI. They’re shooting 56.2 percent effectively, as compared to Southern Utah’s 48.2 percent. The Colonels have improved from beyond the arc, as the Thunderbirds struggle guarding the perimeter, allowing 35.8 percent on the season. Southern Utah has a slight size advantage and also likes to play fast, so there’s no clear advantage in pace of play. I’m on Eastern Kentucky.
If Eastern Kentucky wants to have a reasonable chance of reaching the CBI Championship Game, they have to slow down the pace tonight. After all, the Colonels have played overtime games in back-to-back days so it's fair to question their fitness heading into tonight's matchup. Though Southern Utah averages 82.2 points per game this season, 5 of their last 8 games have gone under this number. I liked this number A LOT more where it opened, at 156.5, but will still play it below 150.5.
Props to Eastern Kentucky for rebounding from an overtime win on Sunday for another triumph on Monday -- in overtime. Surely fatigue will catch up to the Colonels here. Southern Utah is rated 37 spots higher than EKU by kenpom.com, which should lead to a larger spread. The Thunderbirds cut it close Monday in a two-point win over Rice, but only two players logged more than 35 minutes. They should be more rested.