The CAA Tournament has reached the semifinals, and we’ve got a match between the Monmouth Hawks and Campbell Fighting Camels.
The Hawks are 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 151.5 points.
Here’s my prediction, preview and pick for Monday’s Monmouth vs. Campbell matchup.
Monmouth vs. Campbell prediction, preview
No. 9 Campbell pulled off the upset over No. 1 UNC Wilmington, keeping its NCAA Tournament dreams alive. Now, the Fighting Camels face No. 4 Monmouth in the CAA semifinals.
Campbell didn’t just escape the first two rounds, it defeated UNC Wilmington 85-70 and No. 8 Stony Brook 96-89. The offense is on fire, shooting 63% from the field and 50% from three against Stony Brook. It was less effective against UNC Wilmington, but it still scored 54 in the second half.
Monmouth won’t be an easy matchup. The Hawks are coming off a 65-57 victory against No. 5 Drexel in the quarterfinals. Defense and free throws stood out in this game as Monmouth held Drexel to 34% from the field. The Hawks converted on 14-of-18 free throws compared to 8-of-12 from the Dragons.
Free throws are so critical in basketball, especially in March Madness. The difference between wins and losses often comes down to the charity stripe. Neither team is particularly great at free throws, but Campbell draws a lot of fouls. The team ranks 49th in free throws made and 42nd in free throws attempted per game. That alone could be what separates these two teams in the semifinals.
Monmouth vs. Campbell pick, best bet
Who doesn’t love a Cinderella story? Campbell knocked off the No. 1 seed in the CAA and now gets the No. 4 seed in the semifinals. Let the run continue.
It’s a real possibility the Fighting Camels keep winning, though. If they draw a ton of fouls like they usually do, they’ll put Monmouth in a poor position down the stretch. Campbell just has to make the free throws when it has the chance.
