Northern Illinois Huskies vs Western Michigan Broncos NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/21/25
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Huskies and Broncos. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Broncos at University Arena (MI) in Kalamazoo, MI. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 151.5 points, and Western Michigan is favored by -10.5 to win at home against Northern Illinois.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES VS WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Northern Illinois Huskies +10.5
This game will be played at University Arena (MI) at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, January 21st.
WHY BET THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Broncos.
- Even though we have Western Michigan winning straight-up, we like Northern Illinois at +10.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 151.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Can the Huskies Lock in a Road Win?
Northern Illinois Huskies Recent Game/Games
The Huskies dropped to 1-13 on the season after a 71-66 home loss to Central Michigan on Saturday. Northern Illinois entered the game as +9 point underdogs but managed to keep it closer than expected. The total points for the game ended at 137, just under the O/U line of 141.5.
NIU trailed 35-29 at halftime but showed some fight in the second half, outscoring Central Michigan 37-36. Despite the loss, the Huskies’ ability to cover the spread and make it a competitive game could be a small positive for the struggling team.
Northern Illinois put up 66 points in their last game, shooting 42.6% from the field. They were especially effective from beyond the arc, hitting 13 of 27 threes at a 48.1% clip, contributing to an effective field goal percentage of 55.6%. Their two-point shooting, however, was just 37%.
Quaran McPherson led the way with 22 points, connecting on 5 of 7 threes. Cayden Vasko was perfect from deep, hitting all 3 of his attempts, finishing with 15 points and 5 assists. Anthony Pritchard added 9 assists, despite shooting 35.7% overall.
Northern Illinois gave up 71 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field. They managed to hold them to 37% on two-point attempts, as the other team went 10/27 inside the arc.
However, Northern Illinois struggled to defend the three-point line, where the other team shot 48%, hitting 13 of their 27 attempts. From the free-throw line, the opposing team shot 46%, making 7 of 15.
Can the Broncos Pull Off a Home Win?
Western Michigan Broncos Recent Game/Games
Western Michigan’s struggles continued on Saturday with an 85-76 loss to Buffalo, dropping their season record to 3-13. The Broncos, who were -8.5 favorites, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 161, surpassing the O/U line of 153.5.
After trailing 53-39 at halftime, Western Michigan tightened up defensively in the second half, outscoring Buffalo 37-32, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.
Western Michigan put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 44.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.8%, with a strong 55.6% shooting inside the arc, but they struggled from three-point range, hitting just 5 of 22 attempts for 22.7%.
At the free-throw line, the Broncos connected on 57.9% of their shots, going 11 for 19. Chansey Willis Jr. led the team with 21 points and 5 assists, while Tyson Dunn added 20 points and 9 rebounds, knocking down 6 of 12 threes at a 50% clip.
Western Michigan’s defense gave up 85 points in their last game, allowing the opposing team to shoot 44% from the field. They struggled to contain two-point shots, with their opponents hitting 55% of their attempts inside the arc, going 25/45.
From three-point range, Western Michigan held their opponents to 22% shooting, as they made just 5 of 22 attempts. The Broncos also sent the other team to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 11 shots for 57%. Western Michigan allowed 8 offensive rebounds.