Kent State Golden Flashes vs Northern Illinois Huskies Betting Pick & Prediction 1/16/24
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Golden Flashes and Huskies. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Huskies at NIU Convocation Center in Dekalb, IL. Get ready to place your bets! The Golden Flashes are the favored team in this Mid-American conference contest against the Huskies. The game’s over/under currently sits at 149.5 points.
KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES VS NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Northern Illinois Huskies +3.5
This game will be played at NIU Convocation Center at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, January 16th.
WHY BET THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-68 in favor of the Huskies.
- Not only will Northern Illinois pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +3.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 149.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 143 points.
Can the Golden Flashes Lock in a Road Win?
With a record of 8-8, Kent State is looking to snap a three-game losing streak. In their last game, the Golden Flashes fell to Central Michigan by a score of 77-62. For the season, Kent State is 1-3 in Mid-American Conference games and 7-5 in non-conference games.
So far, the Golden Flashes have been favored in 11 of their 16 games, going 5-6 in those contests. On the road, Kent State has a record of 2-5, compared to a mark of 4-3 at home. For the season, their average scoring margin on the road is -5.6 points per game.
As the favorite this season, Kent State has gone just 4-7 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Golden Flashes are 4-6 vs. the spread. On the road, Kent State is just 2-5 vs. the spread this year and over their last three road games, they are 0-3 vs. the spread.
Today’s over/under line of 149.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Kent State’s games this season (143.3). So far, their over/under record is 10-4. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 147 points.
In contrast to their season average of 77.9 points per game, the Kent State had a below average performance. They scored 62 points against Central Michigan and had a field goal percentage of 31.8%. The team’s scoring leader is Chris Payton, who holds an average of 14.7 as they head into today’s matchup. Additionally, Jalen Sullinger is averaging 14.6 points per game this season.
At this time, the Golden Flashes’ defense is positioned 206th in the country, permitting 73.8 points per game. So far, the Kent State defense is giving up an average of 7.6 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 12.8 times per game (628th).
Will Northern Illinois Pull Through as the Underdog Home Team?
After losing their last game to Bowling Green by a score of 83-72, Northern Illinois enters today’s game with a record of 6-10. The Huskies have lost their last eight games and are 0-3 in Mid-American Conference play.
So far this season, Northern Illinois has gone 2-4 at home, and their average margin of defeat at home is -8.5 points per game. Over their last ten games at home, the Huskies have gone 5-5.
As the underdog this season, Northern Illinois has gone 4-7 vs. the spread. Their overall ATS mark is 5-8. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Huskies have a 2-8 ATS record. At home, their ATS mark is 2-4 this season.
So far this season, the over/under record in Northern Illinois games is 7-6, and today’s line of 149.5 is lower than the average OU line in their games (153.6). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 161 points, and their OU records over their last three, five, and ten games are 2-1, 3-2, and 4-5, respectively.
Coming off their recent game, the Northern Illinois offense tallied 72 points in a matchup against Bowling Green. Their field goal percentage for the game was 42.6%, and they made 7 threes. David Coit is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 19.5. Meanwhile, Zarique Nutter also brings a PPG average of 15.2 into the game.
As they prepare for the upcoming game, Northern Illinois is focused on shoring up their defense, as they are currently allowing an average of 79.4 points per game (283rd). In their previous game vs. Bowling Green, the Falcons finished with a field goal percentage of 42% and a total of 83 points vs. Northern Illinois.