Youngstown State Penguins vs Chicago State Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/9/24

Planning on watching today’s Penguins and Cougars game? Catch the action at Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, IL, as the Cougars hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. Youngstown State is favored by -4.5 in this non-conference showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 147.5 points.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE PENGUINS VS CHICAGO STATE COUGARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago State Cougars +4.5

This game will be played at Jones Convocation Center at 8:00 ET on Saturday, November 9th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO STATE COUGARS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-72 in favor of the Cougars.
  • Not only will Chicago State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +4.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.

Is A Road Victory Likely for Favored Youngstown State?

Youngstown State Penguins Records

Youngstown State finished last season with an 18-9 overall record, going 14-6 in Horizon League play. At home, they were 10-2, winning by an average of 10.2 points per game, while they went 8-7 on the road with a +3.6 scoring margin.

Against the spread, the Penguins were 15-12, including a 9-6 mark on the road. They were 16-4 straight-up when favored and 11-9 ATS. As underdogs, they went 2-5 straight-up and 4-3 ATS. Their average over/under line was 150.3 points, and they had a 14-12-1 O/U record, with their games averaging 150.1 points per contest.

Youngstown State Penguins Offense Stats

Youngstown State averaged 81.2 points per game last season, ranking 173rd in possessions per game (65.6). They shot 45% from the field (185th) with a 51% effective field goal percentage (163rd). The Penguins were 66th in two-point percentage, making 54% of their attempts.

From beyond the arc, Youngstown State made 8.8 threes per game (54th) but struggled with accuracy, shooting 32% (317th). They attempted 27.2 threes per game, ranking 21st. At the free-throw line, they made 14.2 per game (154th).

Youngstown State Penguins Top Returning Offensive Players

Nico Galette: G

  • Games: 31 (Last Year)
  • PPG: 13.5 (Last Year)
  • Assists: 2 (Last Year)
  • Rebounds: 7.2 (Last Year)

Siem Uijtendaal: G

  • Games: 23 (Last Year)
  • PPG: 13.3 (Last Year)
  • Assists: 2.1 (Last Year)
  • Rebounds: 3.4 (Last Year)

Last season, Youngstown State allowed 70.9 points per game, ranking 133rd in the nation. Opponents shot 31.8% from three-point range against them, placing the Penguins 183rd in three-point defense. They also limited opponents to 16.6 free throws per game, ranking 93rd nationally.

Youngstown State averaged 6.2 steals per game, ranking 220th in that category. They were much more effective in blocking shots, averaging 4.8 per game, which ranked 29th in the country.

Does Chicago State Have What it Takes to Win as Home Underdogs?

Chicago State Cougars Recent Game/Games

Chicago State opened their season with a 79-72 road loss to Loyola Chicago on Monday. Despite being +21.5 point underdogs, the Cougars kept the game much closer than expected.

After trailing 37-35 at halftime, Chicago State scored 37 points in the 2nd half but allowed 42. The total points for the game reached 151, surpassing the O/U line of 137.5.

Chicago State put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 41.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 47.6%. They connected on 48.6% of their two-point attempts, while hitting just 30.8% from beyond the arc, going 8-for-26 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they shot 60%, making 12 of 20 attempts.

Jayden Dawson led the way with 20 points, hitting 3 of 9 from deep. Justin Moore and Des Watson each added 14 points, with Moore dishing out 7 assists. Gabe Spinelli contributed 13 points, and Cameron Jernigan and Saxby Sunderland each chipped in 11, despite Sunderland’s 1-for-7 shooting performance.

Despite giving up 79 points, the Chicago State Cougars held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field. The Cougars allowed 52% shooting on two-point attempts, with their opponent hitting 20 of 38 shots.

From beyond the arc, the Cougars limited their opponent to 24% shooting, with just 6 made threes on 25 attempts. Chicago State also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 21 free throws for 72%.