The Florida A&M Rattlers find themselves towards the bottom of the SWAC standings at 2-10 in conference play and travel to Lorman, Mississippi, to play the first Alcorn State Braves on Monday.
Florida A&M Rattlers vs. Alcorn State Braves (-9.5, 137.5)
While Florida A&M has had issues scoring throughout the season, ranking 352nd out of the 362 Division I teams in points per game, the team has been more competent since guard Jalen Spear entered the lineup 13 games ago.
Spear leads the Rattlers in points and assists since his first game action on December 30, averaging 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game and the Rattlers went from scoring 80.5 points per 100 possessions without him to averaging nearly 98.2 points per 100 possessions with him in the fold.
While the addition of Spear has sparked the offense, the defense continues to be an issue, as Florida A&M has surrendered at least 70 points in 10 of the 13 games since his arrival, including taking a 76-67 loss in their first meeting with Alcorn State on January 27.
While Florida A&M rates slightly better in points allowed per possession nationally than in points scored at 338th, the team is still surrendering an average of 110.9 points per 100 possessions and faces an Alcorn State defense that is even more inefficient.
The Braves have shown a pulse recently, having allowed 56 points or fewer in each of their past three games, but still rank 352nd in the nation in points allowed on a per-possession basis with poor perimeter defense being the main cause for the defensive struggles.
Alcorn State is 354th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage overall this season and 360th when at home specifically with opponents making 41.6% of their 3s in Alcorn State home games. Meanwhile, Florida A&M is allowing opponents to make 37.5% of their 3s in games played away from home and is 335th overall in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
Both teams also will set up with plenty of opportunities for second-chance points, as Alcorn State is 290th in defensive rebound rate, allowing opponents to grab 29.8% of their missed shots. On the other side, Florida A&M is 280th in road defensive rebound rate, allowing opponents to rebound 30.9% of their missed shots in games played away from home.
With Florida A&M generating just 9.8 turnovers per game in SWAC play and both defenses having gone through a myriad of issues this season, it sets up for a prime spot for both offenses to have a big night on Monday.
The Play: Florida A&M vs. Alcorn State Over 137.5
