#651/652 ASA TOP PLAY ON 10* Over 137 Points – Xavier vs Texas A&M, Thursday at 7 PM ET - We were on the Under in Xavier’s most recent game vs St Bonnies. The total was set at 138 in that game and this one is just a touch lower. It should be higher based on the opponent. That was a game that St Bonnies, a thin team playing basically 5 players, wanted to slow down. They are a slow paced team ranking 268th in possessions per game. STB got down big at half (which was on pace for 122) and had to abandon their slow pace to try and get back in the game which was obviously bad for the Under. The 2 teams went on to score 100 points in the 2nd half in what turned out to be a faster paced game due to the situation. A&M likes to play much faster than St Bonnies and Xavier is a top 100 team in adjusted pace. A&M faced Wake Forest in this tourney, a team with very similar offensive and defensive efficiency numbers that likes to play fast as well, and that total was set at 146. It went under because neither team shot above 40% from the field, both shot just 22% from 3, and they made only 24 of 40 FT’s. Xavier has hit their stride offensive scoring at least 72 points in all 4 of their NIT games and in their last 6 games overall. In their last 2 games vs 2 very solid defensive teams (Vandy & St Bonnies) they averaged 1.12 and 1.29 PPP. A&M is playing very well offensively averaging 72 PPG in their 4 NIT games. Both teams get to the FT line a lot (both in the top 50 in FT attempt rate) with Xavier averaging 20 FT attempts per game in this tourney and A&M averaging 21 FT attempts per game in the NIT. We should get a decent amount of points from the line tonight. Both teams are playing their 2nd game in Madison Square Garden so both are now comfortable with the venue. Each of the last 4 NIT finals have topped 140 points and we expect this one to do the same. Over is the play here.