Very interesting and unique that TeamRankings.com gives Maine a 59% chance of losing to UMBC and Realtimerpi.com gives them a 59% chance to beat UMBC. Which one is going to be right?
Going into Sundays 1:00pm tipoff time the UMaine men's basketball team has to beat UMBC at home at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor in a game the Blackbears have to have if they have any hope to go 8-8 and possibly finish 4th with a home QF tournament game.
Maine's SOS (Strength of Schedule) is way better than UMBC's as Maine is second in the AE Conference in SOS at 181 to UMBC's 304. Maybe that is why Realtimerspi.com is picking Maine to win at 59%.
However, TeamRankings.com has Maine ranked 321 in RPI and and has UMBC's RPI at 217 so maybe that is why they are picking and giving UMBC the 59% chance of winning.
Whatever the reasons each ranking system is at the 59% in picking a win or a loss for UMaine and UMBC.
Who will be right and who will be wrong????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Wonder how and if Vegas is predicting the game??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Other factors to consider in predicting the final results. UMBC won at home over Maine 61-52 in the first conference game of the year in which UMaine lead by 12 at the half, but could not hang on. UMBC is 11-10 overall and Maine is 5-19. UMBC is fourth in the conference at 6-3 and they beat Vermont at Vermont by 13 points 74-61 and that is Vermont's only conference loss. Vermont beat Maine 86-63 at Vermont and 73-49 at Bangor. Maine is 3-6 in the conference. But, remember the SOS Rankings. But, also remember that big win by UMBC at Vermont 74-61.
Comparative Conference Results:
.............UMBC....Maine
Maine.....H61-52...UMBC 52-61A
Albany....H65-64....66-62A
UMass-L..A63-74....78-59A
Hartford.A64-66.....76-77H
Bingham..H68-49.....66-78A
Vermont.A74-61......49-73H
UNH......A59-51......62-53H
SB.........H57-49......61-64H
Hartford.H61-70
Vermont...............63-86A
A=Away game..H=Home games
UMBC is 2-2 on the road and 4-1 at home 6-3
Maine is 2-3 on the road and 1-3 at home 3-6
Too me this is a toss of the coin. But Maine is at home, have been playing well of late, should have beaten Hartford and Stonybrook at home, have a much higher SOS and are home. Outscored UMass-Lowell on the road and UNH at home 78-28 in the paint and only shot 3-18 and 4-15 for threes 21.1% and still won both games. Both teams are about the same size wise.
I'm going with Maine 68-63.
What is your prediction?