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-conferenceBroadview Center, Albany, NYAmerica East-Metro Challenge
Merrimack
Efficiency #158
2025-26: 23-11 · 19-4 conf
@
UAlbany
Efficiency #306
2025-26: 11-21 · 7-10 conf
Sun, Nov 8 · TBD
70.4
win 57%
Projected
68.4
win 43%
No line posted yet.
Model: MRMK −1.9 · total 138.8 · 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: UAlbany 67.0, Merrimack 65.8 → 64.4 possessions
−8.4
UAlbany offense vs Merrimack defense
−3.3
Merrimack offense vs UAlbany defense
+2.3
Projected total
138.8
Axis starts at 130 pointsPoints added or removed at each step
Projected margin
Even game
0.0
UAlbany offense vs Merrimack defense
−3.3
Merrimack offense vs UAlbany defense
−2.3
Home court+2.9 points per 100 possessions to the home offense, −2.9 to the visitors
+3.7
Merrimack by 1.9
1.9
Merrimack side ◂▸ UAlbany side

Steps are rounded to one decimal, so they can differ from the total by 0.1. The margin is the same build seen from the home side; positive numbers help UAlbany.

Pace & total

possessions per 40 minutes
Tempo, possessions per 40 minutes

Projected possessions: 64.4, from each team's opponent-adjusted tempo. On raw 2025-26 season pace, UAlbany is the faster team (65.6, #311 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
64.4
per team, 40 min
Projected total
138.8
model
Projected team totals
70.4 / 68.4
Merrimack / UAlbany
Adjusted tempo, vs an average opponent
65.8#347
Merrimack
67.0#291
UAlbany

How this game plays

what the study found each side's numbers actually do when these two teams meet
Pace
Half-court grind
UAlbany averages 65.6 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 63 — more possessions mean more points in the total and more chances for the better team to separate.
AdvantageUAlbany
Where UAlbany struggles: ball control
UAlbany turns it over on 18.5% of possessions (#300); Merrimack forces turnovers on 20.4% of opponent possessions (#16). Expect about 20.1%, 3.3 points above an average D1 matchup — worth roughly -4.1 points per 100 possessions.
GlassUAlbany
UAlbany owns the glass
Projected offensive rebound rate of 36.6% is worth roughly +3.8 points per 100 possessions for UAlbany's offense.
DefenseMerrimack
Merrimack's shot-blocking
Merrimack ranks #15 nationally in block rate — one of the few defensive numbers that travels. Expect about 12.4% of UAlbany's two-point attempts to get blocked against this defense.
DefenseMerrimack
Merrimack's ball-hawking
Merrimack ranks #12 nationally in steal rate — one of the few defensive numbers that travels. Expect about 12.0% of UAlbany's possessions to end in a steal against this defense.
AdvantageMerrimack
Where Merrimack scores: ball control
Merrimack turns it over on 14.8% of possessions (#56); UAlbany forces turnovers on 15.8% of opponent possessions (#230). Expect about 15.1%, 1.7 points below an average D1 matchup — worth roughly +2.1 points per 100 possessions.
Merrimack has the ball
OffenseUAlbany allowsvs D1 avg
49.1% #288
53.2% #275
-0.4 pt/100
14.8% #56
15.8% #230
+2.1 pt/100
24.8% #343
32.4% #277
-1.8 pt/100
38.2% #99
35.7% #202
+0.2 pt/100
78.8% #8
—
+0.6 pt/100
Merrimack net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: +0.8 pts/100
UAlbany has the ball
OffenseMerrimack allowsvs D1 avg
51.3% #182
46.7% #17
-3.3 pt/100
18.5% #300
20.4% #16
-4.1 pt/100
32.7% #99
39.9% #365
+3.8 pt/100
24.9% #364
37.1% #239
-0.5 pt/100
65.9% #354
—
-0.6 pt/100
UAlbany net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: -4.6 pts/100

Shot diet

Where each offense shoots from and where each defense lets teams shoot · 2025-26 numbers
Merrimackoffense vsUAlbanydefense
Share of shots by zone
Merrimack shoots
UAlbany allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim53.4%#33256.9%#11058.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)38.5%#20841.3%#21939.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)33.5%#32139.6%#22538.0%
Three32.7%#24336.0%#30233.7%
UAlbanyoffense vsMerrimackdefense
Share of shots by zone
UAlbany shoots
Merrimack allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim57.1%#22851.4%#1158.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)49.0%#1442.9%#24739.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)38.9%#14638.7%#18838.0%
Three32.6%#24830.3%#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
UAlbany
−4.3extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#336 of 365
Off reb %
32.7%
#99
Def reb %
67.6%
#277
Turnover %
18.5%
#300
Forced TO %
15.8%
#230
FT rate
24.9%
#364
FT allowed
35.7%
#202
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding+0.7
Defensive rebounding−0.6
Ball security−1.2
Forcing turnovers−0.6
Foul shots drawn−2.6
Foul shots allowed−0.1

Merrimack has more extra scoring chances per game: −0.6 (#206 of 365) to UAlbany’s −4.3 (#336).

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
MerrimackUAlbany
Efficiency
107.2
105.5
106.3
113.4
65.8
67.0
—
—
Shooting
49.1%
51.3%
49.1%
52.8%
32.7%
32.6%
78.8%
65.9%
38.2%
24.9%
Ball control & glass
14.8%
18.5%
20.4%
15.8%
24.8%
32.7%
39.9%
32.4%
7.2%
10.4%
13.0%
9.4%
Style
46.1%
37.6%
38.0%
49.5%
13.5%
13.7%
56.0%
48.9%
17.6%
26.3%
Roster
3.46
2.86
6'4.3"
6'5.2"
36.3%
—

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).

UAlbany
Returning minutes: 100.0%Returning production: 100.0%
ESPN hasn't posted UAlbany's roster for this season yet — no movement to show.

Returns 100% of last season's minutes. 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). (ESPN hasn't posted this season's roster yet -- this may still be last season's list.)

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.