Fairfield Stags vs Niagara Purple Eagles Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Niagara vs Fairfield NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Fairfield.

Niagara vs Fairfield Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Purple Eagles and Stags. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Stags at Leo D. Mahoney Arena in Fairfield, CT. Get ready to place your bets! Niagara come into this Metro Atlantic Athletic conference matchup as the -1.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 135.5 points.

Niagara vs. Fairfield Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Niagara Purple Eagles at Fairfield Stags
Where: Fairfield at Leo D. Mahoney Arena
Date: Thursday, January 16th
Betting Odds NIAGRA -1.5, NIAGRA -114 | FAIR -107 O/U 135.5

Purple Eagles Preview: Can Niagara Pull Off A Win at Leo D. Mahoney Arena?

Niagara dropped to 6-9 on the season after a 68-65 home loss to Rider on Sunday. The Purple Eagles, who were -5.5 favorites going into the game, failed to cover the spread. The combined points of 133 fell just under the O/U line of 134.5.

After trailing 33-26 at halftime, Niagara put up 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 35, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.

Purple Eagles Offense Breakdown

Niagara's offense was efficient in their last game, shooting 52% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60%. They connected on 61.3% of their two-point attempts and hit 36.8% from beyond the arc, going 7-for-19 from three-point range.

T.J. Weeks Jr. led the way with 18 points, hitting 4-of-7 from three-point range. Justice Smith added 17 points, shooting 70% from the field, while Zion Russell contributed 11 points and 6 assists, making 5-of-6 shots overall and hitting his only three-point attempt.

Purple Eagles Team Defense

Niagara's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 68 points on 52% shooting from the field. The Purple Eagles allowed their opponent to hit 61% of their two-point attempts, with 19 makes on 31 tries.

From beyond the arc, Niagara's defense conceded 7 threes on 19 attempts, a 36% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 10 times, where they made 6, shooting 60%. Niagara did well on the boards, allowing just 4 offensive rebounds.

Stags Preview: No Pressure for Fairfield as Home Dogs

Fairfield Stags Recent Game/Games

Fairfield’s season record dropped to 5-10 after a 61-51 road loss to Marist on Sunday. The Stags entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

After a 25-25 tie at halftime, Fairfield was outscored 36-26 in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 112 fell well short of the 135.5 O/U line.

Stags Offense Breakdown

Fairfield's offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 51 points with a field goal percentage of 36.5%. They hit only 28.1% of their two-point attempts, but found success from beyond the arc, shooting 50% on 10-of-20 three-point attempts.

Jamie Bergens led the way with 16 points, hitting 3-of-4 from deep. Jackson Price added 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Jaden Daughtry and Elijah Lewis each contributed 11 points, with Lewis shooting just 23.1% from the field.

Stags Team Defense

Despite giving up 61 points, Fairfield's defense struggled to contain their opponent's two-point shooting, allowing them to hit 64% of their shots inside the arc, going 22/34. However, the Stags did a solid job defending the perimeter, holding their opponent to just 22% shooting from three-point range, with only 4 made threes on 18 attempts.

Fairfield sent their opponent to the free-throw line only 6 times, where they converted 5 of those attempts for 83%. On the boards, the Stags limited second-chance opportunities by giving up just 5 offensive rebounds.

Purple Eagles vs Stags Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Purple Eagles last five road games, the team averaged 59 points per game while allowing 67. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 2-3, while going 1-4 straight-up.
Through their last ten home contests, the Stags offense has averaged 64 points per game while allowing an average of 76. Fairfield posted an overall record of 2-8 while going 3-7 ATS.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Stags have gone 1-4 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Purple Eagles have a straight up record of 4-1, while going 2-3 against the spread.