North Dakota State Bison vs Southern Illinois Salukis NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/18/24

The Bison and Salukis are set to face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Salukis will host the game at Banterra Center in Carbondale, IL. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 154 points, with Southern Illinois being favored by -7.5 over North Dakota State.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON VS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southern Illinois Salukis -7.5

This game will be played at Banterra Center at 8:00 ET on Monday, November 18th.

WHY BET THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-68 in favor of the Salukis.
• Not only will Southern Illinois pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 154 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.

Can the Bison Offense Score Enough in Carbondale?

North Dakota State Bison Recent Game/Games

North Dakota State pulled off a surprising 88-80 win over Santa Clara on Wednesday, November 13th. The Bison were +15.5 point underdogs heading into the game, but not only did they cover the spread, they came away with the victory.

After trailing 39-29 at halftime, North Dakota State turned things around by outscoring Santa Clara 41-31 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game reached 168, going over the pre-game O/U line of 152.5.

North Dakota State’s offense put up 88 points in their last game, shooting 47.4% from the field and 46.9% from three-point range, hitting 15 of 32 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 59.6%, and they connected on 79.2% of their free throws, going 19 for 24 from the line.

Jacksen Moni and Jacari White each scored 19 points, with Moni hitting 3 of 4 from deep and White adding 5 assists. Adama-Alpha Bal contributed 18 points, while Elijah Mahi was efficient, shooting 75% overall and perfect from three-point range.

Even though North Dakota State gave up 80 points, they managed to hold their opponent to 41% shooting from the field. The Bison allowed 31 made field goals on 75 attempts.

North Dakota State struggled to defend inside, as their opponent shot 60% on two-pointers, hitting 23 of 38. However, the Bison did well on the perimeter, limiting their opponent to 21% shooting from three, with just 8 makes on 37 attempts.

Can the Salukis Offense Score Enough at Home?

Southern Illinois Salukis Recent Game/Games

Southern Illinois fell 85-78 to Oklahoma State on Thursday, November 14th. The Salukis were +12 point underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread.

After trailing 38-37 at halftime, Southern Illinois scored 41 points in the 2nd half but allowed 47. The total points for the game went over the 161.5 O/U line, with the teams combining for 163 points.

Southern Illinois put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 50.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 59%. They hit 60.6% of their two-point attempts and 39.3% from beyond the arc, connecting on 11 threes. Their free-throw shooting was a struggle, hitting just 5 of 11 for 45.5%.

Elijah Elliott led the way with 21 points, hitting 5 of 9 from three. Abou Ousmane and Brandon Newman each added 18 points, with Ousmane shooting 8 of 10 and Newman hitting 3 of 4 from deep. The Salukis finished with 19 assists and 9 offensive rebounds.

Southern Illinois struggled defensively, giving up 85 points on 47% shooting from the field. Opponents hit 51% of their two-point attempts, going 23/45.

From beyond the arc, Southern Illinois allowed 8 threes on 20 attempts, a 40% success rate. They also sent the other team to the line 20 times, where they converted 15 free throws (75%).