CBB Matchups

Every D1 game with tempo-free ratings, four factors and market lines, one place.

College basketball is being built for the 2026-27 season (tip-off Nov 3). What's here fills in as games are played.
Non-conferenceNeutral siteDavid S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, Hempstead, NYThe Island Invitational
Merrimack
Efficiency #158
2025-26: 23-11 · 19-4 conf
vs
Colgate
Efficiency #223
2025-26: 18-15 · 12-8 conf
Sun, Nov 29 · TBD
71.9
win 58%
Projected
69.7
win 42%
No line posted yet.
Model: MRMK −2.2 · total 141.6 · ratings as of Sat, Oct 3
Preseason ratings start from 2025-26's final adjusted ratings, regressed toward the D1 average. The stats below are 2025-26's too; both update once 2026-27 games are played.

How the projection is built

each step, from an average D-I game to this one
Projected total
Average D-I game
148.2
PaceAdjusted tempo: Colgate 68.0, Merrimack 65.8 → 65.4 possessions
−6.3
Colgate offense vs Merrimack defense
−1.3
Merrimack offense vs Colgate defense
+0.9
Projected total
141.6
Axis starts at 135 pointsPoints added or removed at each step
Projected margin
Even game
0.0
Colgate offense vs Merrimack defense
−1.3
Merrimack offense vs Colgate defense
−0.9
Merrimack by 2.2
2.2
Merrimack side ◂▸ Colgate side

Steps are rounded to one decimal, so they can differ from the total by 0.1: the total steps add to 141.5 against a projected 141.6. The margin is the same build seen from the home side; positive numbers help Colgate.

Pace & total

possessions per 40 minutes
Tempo, possessions per 40 minutes

Projected possessions: 65.4, from each team's opponent-adjusted tempo. On raw 2025-26 season pace, Colgate is the faster team (66.9, #246 of 365) and Merrimack the slower (63.7, #359). When tempos clash, the slower team usually pulls the pace harder (study weights 0.80 vs 0.66).

Projected possessions
65.4
per team, 40 min
Projected total
141.6
model
Projected team totals
71.9 / 69.7
Merrimack / Colgate
Adjusted tempo, vs an average opponent
65.8#347
Merrimack
68.0#213
Colgate

How this game plays

what the study found each side's numbers actually do when these two teams meet
Pace
Half-court grind
Colgate averages 66.9 possessions per 40, Merrimack 63.7. Slower teams pull the pace toward themselves more than fast teams push it (0.80 vs 0.66 in five seasons of games), so expect about 64 — more possessions mean more points in the total and more chances for the better team to separate.
AdvantageMerrimack
Where Merrimack struggles: the offensive glass
Merrimack rebounds 24.8% of its own misses (#343); Colgate lets opponents grab 29.3% of their own misses (#125). Expect about 26.0%, 4.4 points below an average D1 matchup — worth roughly -2.7 points per 100 possessions.
TurnoversMerrimack
Merrimack protects the ball
Projected turnover rate of 14.7% is worth roughly +2.5 points per 100 possessions for Merrimack's offense.
ClashColgate
Style match: 3-point volume
Colgate rarely shoots threes (35.0% of its shots); Merrimack runs teams off the line (32.6% of shots allowed from three) (D1 average 39.5%). Expect about 31.5% — both habits push the same way.
Watch for noise
3-point caution
A notable season 3-point number here (Merrimack's defense) is close to a coin flip going forward — the study's model of next-game 3P% barely beats guessing the D1 average. Shot volume is what actually carries: expect Merrimack at about 46.2% of its shots from three, Colgate about 31.5%.
AdvantageColgate
Where Colgate struggles: shooting
Colgate shoots an effective 53.3% (#91); Merrimack allows 46.7% (#17). Expect about 50.1%, 1.2 points below an average D1 matchup — worth roughly -1.7 points per 100 possessions.
Merrimack has the ball
OffenseColgate allowsvs D1 avg
49.1% #288
52.2% #224
-1.1 pt/100
14.8% #56
15.3% #266
+2.5 pt/100
24.8% #343
29.3% #125
-2.7 pt/100
38.2% #99
33.8% #145
+0.1 pt/100
78.8% #8
—
+0.6 pt/100
Merrimack net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: -0.6 pts/100
Colgate has the ball
OffenseMerrimack allowsvs D1 avg
53.3% #91
46.7% #17
-1.7 pt/100
14.6% #47
20.4% #16
-1.3 pt/100
26.6% #309
39.9% #365
+1.2 pt/100
29.7% #316
37.1% #239
-0.2 pt/100
74.7% #97
—
+0.2 pt/100
Colgate net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: -1.8 pts/100

Shot diet

Where each offense shoots from and where each defense lets teams shoot · 2025-26 numbers
Merrimackoffense vsColgatedefense
Share of shots by zone
Merrimack shoots
Colgate allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim53.4%#33259.1%#19358.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)38.5%#20839.3%#16339.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)33.5%#32138.5%#17838.0%
Three32.7%#24334.8%#23833.7%
Colgateoffense vsMerrimackdefense
Share of shots by zone
Colgate shoots
Merrimack allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim59.3%#15551.4%#1158.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)43.3%#9842.9%#24739.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)44.8%#1838.7%#18838.0%
Three35.6%#8130.3%#1233.7%
RimShort 2 (≤9 ft)Mid 2 (10 ft+)Three

Zones from play-by-play shot descriptions; garbage time removed. Bars show the share of field-goal attempts in each zone; where a slice is too thin for its number, the shares are listed under the bar. FG% ranks: #1 = best for that side (most accurate shooting, stingiest defense).

Shot volume

Extra scoring chances from rebounds, turnovers and the foul line · 2025-26 numbers
Merrimack
−0.6extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#206 of 365
Off reb %
24.8%
#343
Def reb %
60.1%
#365
Turnover %
14.8%
#56
Forced TO %
20.4%
#16
FT rate
38.2%
#99
FT allowed
37.1%
#239
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding−1.8
Defensive rebounding−3.0
Ball security+1.3
Forcing turnovers+2.5
Foul shots drawn+0.8
Foul shots allowed−0.5
Colgate
−1.3extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#247 of 365
Off reb %
26.6%
#309
Def reb %
70.7%
#125
Turnover %
14.6%
#47
Forced TO %
15.3%
#266
FT rate
29.7%
#316
FT allowed
33.8%
#145
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding−1.2
Defensive rebounding+0.4
Ball security+1.5
Forcing turnovers−1.0
Foul shots drawn−1.4
Foul shots allowed+0.4

Merrimack has more extra scoring chances per game: −0.6 (#206 of 365) to Colgate’s −1.3 (#247).

Grade = extra shots and foul-line trips per game compared with a D-I average team, built from six season rates. Cell shading is the national rank for each rate (greener = better for that team).

Rotation

Merrimack2025-26 numbers
#PlayerPosClHtGP-GSMPGPPGRPGAPGTOVeFG%3P%3PA/gFT%UsageStatus
4Tye DorsetGJr6'3"34-3436.311.73.12.20.949.3%32.2%5.477.3%21.0%
20Todd BrognaFSr6'7"34-3429.26.14.72.41.551.6%35.1%3.970.8%15.5%
2Denver Anglinat IonaGSr6'1"31-2928.19.32.11.91.044.0%29.8%6.179.5%23.0%
5Elijah Wilbornat James MadisonFSr6'8"31-08.52.42.90.30.763.0%—0.025.0%19.2%
0Dylan VeilletteFSo6'7"33-08.21.91.80.20.347.1%9.1%0.368.2%16.4%
7Aram Vladimir Soqui Urbanoat Fresno StGSo6'4"13-29.52.20.50.20.241.4%27.3%1.766.7%16.3%
33AJ Lesburt Jr.at BrownGSr6'5"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
12David MunroFFr6'8"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
14Jacob MooreFFr6'9"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
11Quinn KwasniakGFr6'4"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
24Amare GuerraGFr5'10"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
3Ayden JohnsonGFr5'10"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
1Jeremiah AndersonGSr6'1"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
10JP SkoricFFr6'8"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
13Rocco WestfieldGFr6'2"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
Rosters come from ESPN and are still filling in; incoming transfers and freshmen may be missing.
Transfers in: Denver Anglin (from Iona), AJ Lesburt Jr. (from Brown), Aram Vladimir Soqui Urbano (from Fresno St), Elijah Wilborn (from James Madison)

Tale of the tape

national rank toned left for away, right for home
MerrimackColgate
Efficiency
107.2
108.6
106.3
111.2
65.8
68.0
—
—
Shooting
49.1%
53.3%
49.1%
53.2%
32.7%
35.6%
78.8%
74.7%
38.2%
29.7%
Ball control & glass
14.8%
14.6%
20.4%
15.3%
24.8%
26.6%
39.9%
29.3%
7.2%
8.4%
13.0%
6.3%
Style
46.1%
35.0%
38.0%
44.4%
13.5%
12.6%
56.0%
51.4%
17.6%
29.0%
Roster
3.46
2.54
6'4.3"
6'5.6"
36.3%
85.6%

Offseason

roster movement into this season — descriptive, not a model input
Merrimack
Returning minutes: 36.3%Returning production: 32.9%
Lost
  • Ernest Shelton 36.9 mpg, 15.9 ppg · transferred to Boston College
  • Kevair Kennedy 36.8 mpg, 18.4 ppg · not on a D1 roster yet
  • Andrés Marrero 27.4 mpg, 7.9 ppg · not on a D1 roster yet
  • KC Ugwuakazi 17.8 mpg, 4.9 ppg · not on a D1 roster yet
  • Jaylen Stinson 3.8 mpg, 0.7 ppg · not on a D1 roster yet
  • Aliou Cisse 2.7 mpg, 0.5 ppg · not on a D1 roster yet
Added
  • Denver Anglin from Iona · 27.2 mpg, 9.0 ppg last season
  • Elijah Wilborn from James Madison · 8.0 mpg, 2.2 ppg last season
  • Aram Vladimir Soqui Urbano from Fresno St · 3.9 mpg, 0.9 ppg last season
  • Rocco Westfield no D1 minutes last season
  • JP Skoric no D1 minutes last season
  • Jacob Moore no D1 minutes last season

Returns 36% of last season's minutes; lost 3 of its top 5 (1 transferred). Teams returning under 40% of last season's minutes have historically fallen about 0.8 points of AdjEM (n=716 team-seasons, 2022-2026).

Colgate
Returning minutes: 85.6%Returning production: 88.2%
Lost
  • Ben Tweedy 29.4 mpg, 9.4 ppg · transferred to Manhattan
Added
  • Parker Jones no D1 minutes last season
  • Stevie Clark no D1 minutes last season
  • Blake Forrest no D1 minutes last season

No incoming D1 transfers are listed on ESPN's roster yet — until they are, returning shares read high.

Returns 86% of last season's minutes; lost 1 of its top 5 (1 transferred). Teams returning at least 65% of last season's minutes have historically gained about 2.2 points of AdjEM (n=156 team-seasons, 2022-2026).

Head-to-head

this season and last
No meetings the last two seasons.

The CBB Matchups tab lays out the day's Division I slate: matchup, tip time, records and rank, and — once posted — Pinnacle's spread and total (the median across books when Pinnacle has no line). Three views switch the table between projected scores, pace and totals, and each team's offensive and defensive tendencies. Each game opens into opponent-adjusted possessions, efficiency and four-factor tendencies for both teams, plus recent form, rotation and head-to-head history. Every game also carries our projected score, spread and total, built bottom-up from those same numbers: expected possessions times each side's opponent-adjusted points per possession, plus home court.

What these numbers mean: line shopping.