Northern Illinois Huskies vs Illinois State Redbirds NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/18/24
Betting on today’s Huskies and Redbirds game? Catch the action at CEFCU Arena in Normal, IL, as the Redbirds hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Illinois State as the -15.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 143.5 points.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES VS ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Northern Illinois Huskies +15.5
This game will be played at CEFCU Arena at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, December 18th.
WHY BET THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Redbirds.
- Even though we have Illinois State winning straight-up, we like Northern Illinois at +15.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Can Northern Illinois Lock in a Road Win?
Northern Illinois Huskies Recent Game/Games
On Saturday, December 7th, the Huskies fell to 1-7 on the season after a 101-57 road loss to Northern Iowa. Entering the game as +18.5 point underdogs, Northern Illinois not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
Trailing 56-28 at halftime, the Huskies allowed 45 points in the 2nd half while scoring just 29. The total points for the game reached 158, surpassing the O/U line of 140.5.
Northern Illinois struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 32.1% from the field and 20% from three-point range, hitting 6 of 30 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 37.5%, and they managed only 7 offensive rebounds, with 10 assists as a team.
Jacob Hutson was a bright spot, scoring 22 points in 19 minutes, shooting 8 of 10 from the field and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc. Ben Schwieger also contributed, hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts and finishing with 20 points and 8 rebounds.
Despite Northern Illinois’s defensive struggles, giving up 101 points on 62% shooting, they couldn’t slow down their opponent’s two-point attack, allowing them to hit 71% from inside the arc.
From three-point range, Northern Illinois allowed 12 threes on 24 attempts, a 50% shooting performance, while also sending the other team to the line 29 times, where they converted 72% of their free throws.
Can the Redbirds Secure a Win at Home?
Illinois State moved to 5-4 on the season with an 81-77 win over Saint Louis on Sunday. The Redbirds were +2.5 point underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread with the victory. The total points for the game reached 158, surpassing the over/under line of 148.5.
Illinois State took a 43-31 lead into halftime but allowed 46 points in the second half while scoring 38. Despite the defensive lapse, the Redbirds held on for the win.
Illinois State put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 52.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60%. They connected on 47.1% of their three-point attempts, hitting 8 of 17 from deep, and made 71.4% of their free throws, going 15 for 21.
Robbie Avila led the way with 28 points, shooting 58.8% overall and 37.5% from three. Chase Walker added 27 points, hitting 66.7% of his shots and going 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Swope contributed 22 points, making 6 of 10 threes, while Johnny Kinziger chipped in 20 points, shooting 66.7% from three.
Illinois State’s defense struggled, giving up 77 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 52% from the field. They couldn’t contain the two-point shots, as the other team hit 55% of their attempts, going 21/38.
From beyond the arc, Illinois State allowed 8 threes on 17 attempts, a 47% shooting performance. They also sent the other team to the line 21 times, where they converted 15 free throws, shooting 71%. The Redbirds gave up 10 offensive rebounds.