UAlbany Great Danes vs Manhattan Jaspers Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

UAlbany has a scorer who just went for 25 points in its opener. Manhattan scored 57 at Kentucky and gets its first home game at Draddy Gymnasium to sort itself out.

The Matchup

UAlbany visits Manhattan on Thursday night at Draddy Gymnasium in Riverdale, with Manhattan a 2.5-point favorite, a total of 148.5, on ESPN+. It is a short in-state trip for the Great Danes and a home opener for a Jaspers team that spent Tuesday night in one of the hardest road spots in the country.

Last season UAlbany finished 11-21, scoring 72.0 points a game and allowing 72.9. Manhattan finished 12-20, scoring 74.0 and allowing 78.9. The number that matters most may be Manhattan's 78.9 allowed: the Jaspers scored enough to win games last season and defended too poorly to do it. UAlbany opened with a 74-67 home win over Rhode Island College. Manhattan opened with an 85-57 loss at Kentucky.

Key Factors

UAlbany already knows where its points come from. Ollie Engen scored 25 points on 12-of-21 shooting against Rhode Island College, with 5 rebounds and 6 assists, a genuine take-over game rather than a hot quarter. Tyler Jones added 16 points and 3 steals, and Zacharie Matulu pulled down 10 rebounds. Rhode Island College is a lower-division opponent, so the level of resistance was soft, but a guard who can create his own shot travels. Engen's game does not depend on the building.

Manhattan is still searching for that player. Novak Manojlovic and Kevin Kearney shared the team high at Kentucky with 11 points each, and no Jasper took over a stretch of the game. Ognjen Stankovic, part of the frontcourt Manhattan needs, finished with 4 turnovers and no points. Kentucky's pressure explains some of it, but the Jaspers also carry last season's defensive problem into this year until they prove otherwise, and a defense that allowed 78.9 a game is a kind thing to offer a visiting guard coming off 25.

The counterpoint is that Draddy Gymnasium is a small, tight gym where the crowd sits close, and Manhattan at home is a different assignment than Manhattan at Rupp Arena. Ben Pearce and Ben Tweedy, who scored 7 and 9 at Kentucky, should find more room in Riverdale, and UAlbany's own win came against soft opposition that still put up 67 points.

If Manhattan's guards settle down and the Jaspers push the pace toward the 148.5 total, the home team can win this outright. The bet is that the road team has the best player on the floor and is getting points for the trip.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.