Posted at 1:30 PM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle +133 BET365 +130 Sportsinteraction  +130  888Sport +130 

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City, NJ

Saint Peter’s +133 over Quinnipiac

Streaming: ESPN+

6:30 PM EST. The Bobcats of Quinnipiac are in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament semi-final after they avenged last season’s disappointing first-round exit, beating Canisius 76-52 as a -6½-point favorite. Prior to that win, the Bobcats crushed their opponent today, the proud Peacocks of Saint Peter’s, 89-74, at St. Pete’s where Quinnipiac was a small +2½-point favorite. That was the second time Quinnipiac beat the Peacocks by double digits too, as they won 84-73 at home in Hamden, CT back on February 8.

Before we get any further, this line stands out like a sore thumb as the only thing that matters here, as the #1 Bobcats, who have a day's rest, opened as less than a basket over a #5 seed who played a nail-biter just yesterday. Why? Could it be the oddsmakers perceive the Bobcats as a weak #1 seed in the MAAC after having played a weak schedule that ranked just 349-of-362 graded Division I programs, while Saint Peter’s played a much more respectable 184? Regardless of the reason, on the surface, a #1 at such a discounted rate might look appealing to an unsuspecting market, but to us, it’s a huge red flag.

The MAAC is one of those mid-major conferences where there is much parity and the level of quality between the top, middle, and bottom is closer than the standings would suggest. Saint Peter’s is far more battle-tested than the Bobcats, who by the way, still carry the weight of a #1 seed in a conference tournament that must win that tournament to get a ticket to The Big Dance. If Quinnipiac does not crumble under that pressure, so be it, but even at their best, the Peacocks are every bit their equal, and they just might be the better team on the court tonight.

Sherwood

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