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The No. 3 seed Norfolk State Spartans (22-10, 9-5 MEAC) is set to face off against the top-seeded Howard Bison (21-12, 11-3 MEAC) in the MEAC Tournament Championship with an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament bracket on the line. The game on Saturday at Norfolk Scope starts at 1:00 PM.
Saturday’s matchup between the Spartans and the Bison features a close line of Norfolk State -2. The matchup’s point total is 142.
Norfolk State vs. Howard Odds
Point Spread for Norfolk State vs. Howard
The spread for this matchup is set at 2 points, with sportsbooks listing Norfolk State as the favorite.
Norfolk State vs. Howard Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Norfolk State has -133 odds to pick up the win, while Howard is listed at +111 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 142 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Saturday, March 11, 2023
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN2
- Location: Norfolk, Virginia
- Arena: Norfolk Scope
Norfolk State vs. Howard Betting Trends
Against the spread, Norfolk State is 15-11-1 this year. The Spartans have been favorites in 21 games this season and have come away with the win 17 times (81%) in those contests. Norfolk State’s games this year have eclipsed the over/under 18 times in 30 opportunities (60%).
Howard is 17-13-0 against the spread this year. The Bison have put together a 6-10 record in games they were the underdog on the moneyline (winning 37.5% of those games). Howard’s games this year have gone over the total in 15 of 30 opportunities (50%).
Norfolk State vs. Howard Key Players to Watch
Norfolk State
Kris Bankston paces his team in rebounds per contest (7.3), and also averages 14.5 points and 1 assists. Defensively, he puts up 0.9 steals and 1.5 blocked shots. Caheim Brown is averaging 11.2 points, 3 assists and 4.4 rebounds per contest. Dana Tate is posting 10 points, 1.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Howard
William Settle is averaging a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game. And he is delivering 11.1 points and 1.2 assists, making 41.8% of his shots from the field and 28.7% from 3-point range, with 1 treys per contest. The Bison get 8.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game from Jelani Williams. Shy Odom is averaging 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, making 54.6% of his shots from the field.
What you need to know about the Norfolk State Spartans
Norfolk State has won nine games against the spread in conference play this season, while failing to cover or pushing seven times. So far this year, the Spartans are putting up 76.2 points per game (72nd-ranked in college basketball) and ceding 68.7 points per contest (138th-ranked). With 33.3 rebounds per game, Norfolk State is 88th in the nation. It surrenders 28.2 rebounds per contest, which ranks 32nd in college basketball.
With 6.9 threes per game, Norfolk State ranks 229th in the nation. It owns a 34.1% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, which ranks 181st in college basketball. The Spartans are in the bottom 25 in the country in threes allowed per game with 9.2 (ninth-worst), and they rank 250th in college basketball with a 34.8% three-point percentage allowed to opponents.
The Spartans have gone 7-3 in their past 10 contests, with a 7-2-1 record against the spread in that span. Seven of Norfolk State’s past 10 games have hit the over. Norfolk State has seen an uptick in scoring recently, putting up 76.5 points per game in its last 10 contests, 0.3 points more than the 76.2 it has scored this season. Norfolk State has been more stingy on defense lately, giving up 68.1 points per game during its past 10 contests compared to the 68.7 points per game its opponents are averaging in the 2022-23 season.
What you need to know about the Howard Bison
Howard has put together an 11-5-0 record against the spread in conference games this year. In 2022-23, the Bison are 81st in the country on offense (75.8 points scored per game) and 246th on defense (72.2 points conceded). Howard is 129th in the nation in rebounds per game (32.5) and 65th in rebounds allowed (29.2).
Howard is 93rd in college basketball in 3-pointers made (8.1 per game) and 20th-best in 3-point percentage (37.9%). In 2022-23, the Bison are 193rd in college basketball in 3-pointers allowed (7.3 per game) and 193rd in defensive 3-point percentage (34%).
The Bison have gone 8-2 over their past 10 contests, with a 6-4 record against the spread in that span. Six of Howard’s past 10 outings have hit the over. Howard has fared better offensively over its previous 10 games, averaging 81.4 points per contest, 5.6 more than its season average of 75.8. Over their previous 10 games, the Bison are surrendering 71 points per game, compared to their season average of 72.2 points allowed.
Norfolk State vs. Howard Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this contest is Norfolk State, and we project that Howard will cover the spread (Norfolk State -2). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 142 points.
How to bet Norfolk State vs. Howard
You can bet on Norfolk State vs. Howard at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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