Western Carolina Catamounts at VMI Keydets

VMI has been one of the better offenses in college basketball all season. They average 76 ppg, they are 34th in adjusted offensive efficiency, 13th in effective field goal percentage (55%), 24th in 3-pt percentage 37%.  They are a well oiled machine on the offensive end.  Their offense has gotten them victories over Southern League power houses Furman and Wofford.  They traveled to ACC power Wake Forest, got a cover and challenged a very good Demon Deacon team. The Keydets like to play fast and they have three players that average double digits led by big man Jake Stevens, averaging 18 per game. 

Western Carolina ended their five game losing streak in their last game versus ETSU.  The Catamounts rely on shooting the three to create their offense.  They are #2 in the country in 3PA per game but they are outside of the top 250 in 3-point percentage. There will not be many second chances for the Catamounts as VMI is very good at cleaning up the glass on the defensive end.  If they are not hitting their shots their offense will not be able to keep up with a VMI team that will be able to do whatever they want. 

Both of these teams are terrible on the defensive end.  The difference is, VMI is an elite level team on the offensive end.  The Catamounts will not have an answer for the uptempo attack VMI is going to bring to them. Statistically Western Carolinais one of the worst defenses in the country.  They are going up against one of the best offenses in the country. While it’s hard to trust the defense of VMI, I am going to bank on the offense being too much to handle on the road.  

Pick: VMI -11