Northern Kentucky Norse vs Cleveland State Vikings NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/15/25
Betting on today’s Norse and Vikings game? Catch the action at Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH, as the Vikings hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. This Horizon League conference matchup has an over/under of 130.5 points, and Cleveland State is favored to win by -4 at home vs. Northern Kentucky.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY NORSE VS CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cleveland State Vikings -4
This game will be played at Wolstein Center at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, January 15th.
WHY BET THE CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-69 in favor of the Vikings.
- Not only will Cleveland State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 130.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Can Northern Kentucky Pull Off A Win at Wolstein Center?
After a 68-53 loss to Oakland on Saturday, the Norse are now 7-9 this season. Northern Kentucky, who were -3.5 favorites at home, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.
Trailing 41-32 at halftime, the Norse managed just 21 points in the 2nd half while allowing 27. The game’s total points of 121 fell short of the O/U line of 128.5.
Northern Kentucky struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 53 points with a 36.4% field goal percentage. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.6%, and they shot 24.1% from three-point range, hitting 7 of 29 attempts.
They also shot 50% from the free-throw line, going 6 for 12. Buru Naivalurua was a bright spot, shooting 87.5% from the field and grabbing 9 rebounds, while DQ Cole added 16 points, hitting 4 threes.
Despite giving up 13 offensive rebounds, Northern Kentucky held their opponent to 68 points on 36% shooting. The Norse limited damage from beyond the arc, with their opponent hitting just 7 of 29 threes (24%).
At the free-throw line, Northern Kentucky’s opponent struggled, making only 6 of 12 attempts (50%).
Can the Vikings Secure a Win at Home?
Cleveland State Vikings Recent Game
The Vikings improved to 9-6 on the season with an 80-72 road win over Youngstown State on Saturday. Cleveland State entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs and not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.
After leading 37-31 at halftime, the Vikings scored 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The total points for the game reached 152, surpassing the O/U line of 137.5.
Cleveland State put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 49.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.6%. They connected on 50% of their three-point attempts, going 11-for-22 from beyond the arc.
The Vikings dished out 18 assists, with Tevin Smith leading the way with 7. Tahj Staveskie contributed 21 points, hitting 4-of-10 from deep, while Cris Carroll knocked down 3-of-4 threes, finishing with 18 points on 66.7% shooting.
Despite Cleveland State’s defensive efforts, they gave up 72 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 40% from the field. The Vikings held them to 37% shooting on two-point attempts, with 9 made shots out of 24.
From beyond the arc, Cleveland State’s opponent hit 13 threes on 31 attempts, shooting 41%. They also went to the free-throw line 16 times, making 15 of those for a 93% success rate. The Vikings gave up 7 offensive rebounds.