Iona favored to win MAAC Championship over Marist PICK 3/11

The MAAC Championship is set to take place on Saturday, March 11th, with the Iona Gaels facing off against the Marist Red Foxes at Atlantic City, New Jersey. Iona is the heavy favorite in this matchup, with a 14-point spread favoring the Gaels. However, Marist shouldn't be counted out just yet, as they look to pull off a major upset and claim the championship title.

Iona Gaels:

The Iona Gaels come into this game with a solid record of 26-7 overall and 17-3 in MAAC games. Their non-conference record is also impressive, standing at 9-4. Iona has been a dominant force in the MAAC this season, finishing second in the conference in rebounding with an average of 33.4 rebounds per game. Nelly Junior Joseph has been a standout performer for the Gaels in this regard, leading the team with an average of 9.4 rebounds per game.

Walter Clayton Jr. has been a consistent performer for Iona throughout the season, averaging 16.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Daniss Jenkins has also been in excellent form, averaging 14.6 points and 5.6 assists over the past 10 games.

The Gaels come into this game on a 10-game winning streak, with an average of 78.7 points per game over this stretch. Iona is a strong offensive team, averaging 77.4 points per game overall while shooting 49.0% from the field. Defensively, they have also been solid, holding their opponents to an average of just 62.0 points per game over the past 10 games.

Marist Red Foxes:

The Marist Red Foxes have struggled this season, with a record of 13-19 overall and 6-14 in MAAC games. However, they have still managed to make it to the championship game and will look to cause a major upset against the heavily favored Iona Gaels.

Patrick Gardner has been the standout performer for Marist this season, averaging 19 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Kam Farris has also been in good form, averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for the Red Foxes.

Marist has struggled offensively this season, averaging just 64.7 points per game while shooting 42.4% from the field. Defensively, they have been solid, holding their opponents to an average of 66.7 points per game over the past 10 games.

Betting Trends:

According to the latest betting trends, Iona is heavily favored to win this game, with a 14-point spread in their favor. The over/under for this matchup is set at 136.5 points. The betting trends also show that the majority of the public is backing Iona to cover the spread.

Public Betting Data:

The public betting data for this game shows that the majority of bettors are backing Iona to cover the spread. As of this writing, 67% of the bets have been placed on Iona to cover the 14-point spread, while only 33% of the bets are on Marist to cover.

This could be due to Iona's impressive record this season and their dominant performance in the conference tournament so far. They have won all their games by double digits, and their offense has been firing on all cylinders, averaging 78.7 points per game in their last 10 games.

However, it's important to note that Marist is not to be underestimated. They have won three of their last four games and have played well in close games, winning two of their four one-possession games this season.

Prediction:

In this MAAC Championship matchup, Iona is the clear favorite, and they have the talent and momentum to win the game comfortably. However, Marist has shown that they can compete and keep games close, so they should not be counted out completely.

Considering the point spread, our pick is for Marist to cover. While Iona is likely to win the game, 14 points is a lot to cover, especially against a Marist team that has played well in recent games. It's also worth noting that in the last five meetings between these teams, Marist has covered the spread four times.

Pick: Marist (-13)

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