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The No. 8 seed Northern Colorado Bears (11-19, 6-12 Big Sky) play the No. 7 seed Portland State Vikings (12-18, 6-11 Big Sky) in the Big Sky Tournament Saturday at Idaho Central Arena, tipping off at 10:00 PM. Both teams will try to get one step closer to earning an automatic place in the NCAA Tournament bracket.
Northern Colorado is a small 3-point favorite against Portland State when the Bears face off against the Vikings on Saturday. A 160.5-point total is set for the game.
Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Odds
Point Spread for Northern Colorado vs. Portland State
The spread for this matchup is set at 3 points, with bookmakers listing Northern Colorado as the favorite.
Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Northern Colorado has -153 odds to pick up the win, while Portland State is listed at +131 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 160.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Saturday, March 4, 2023
- Game Time: 10:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Location: Boise, Idaho
- Arena: Idaho Central Arena
Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Betting Trends
Northern Colorado has played 29 games, with 12 wins against the spread. The Bears have been victorious in nine, or 60%, of the 15 contests they have been chosen as favorites in this season. Northern Colorado’s games this year have hit the over on 18 of 28 set point totals.
Portland State is 10-17-1 against the spread this year. The Vikings have won 25% of the games this season they were the underdog on the moneyline (5-15). Portland State’s games this season have hit the over 14 times in 28 opportunities (50%).
Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Key Players to Watch
Northern Colorado
Dalton Knecht is tops on the Bears with 20.1 points per contest and 7.2 rebounds, while also averaging 1.8 assists. Daylen Kountz is putting up 16.9 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds per game. Matt Johnson paces his team in assists per game (3.5), and also posts 12.1 points and 2.8 rebounds. At the other end, he posts 0.9 steals and 0 blocked shots. Riley Abercrombie posts 8.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per contest. Defensively, he delivers 0.2 steals and 0.4 blocked shots.
Portland State
The Vikings get 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game from Jorell Saterfield. Hunter Woods is the Vikings’ top rebounder (5 per game), and he averages 9.9 points and 1.2 assists. Isaiah Johnson is putting up 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per contest, making 55.1% of his shots from the floor.
What you need to know about the Northern Colorado Bears
So far this season, 11 out of Northern Colorado’s 18 Big Sky games have gone over the point total. The Bears’ offense, which ranks 138th in college basketball with 73.3 points per game, has played better than their 16th-worst defense (77.2 points allowed per game). This season, Northern Colorado is pulling down 29.9 boards per game (283rd-ranked in college basketball) and allowing 32.3 rebounds per contest (269th-ranked).
Northern Colorado is draining 8.4 threes per game (71st-ranked in college basketball) this year, while sporting a 35.7% three-point percentage (97th-ranked). The Bears are surrendering 6.6 three-pointers per game (100th-ranked in college basketball) this season, while allowing a 32.8% three-point percentage (112th-ranked).
The Bears have a 5-5 record against the spread while finishing 4-6 overall over their past 10 games. Seven of Northern Colorado’s last 10 games have hit the over. Northern Colorado’s offense has been better over its last 10 games, putting up 77.6 points per contest compared to the 73.3 it has averaged this year. The past 10 games have seen Northern Colorado concede 2.8 fewer points per game (74.4) than its season-long average (77.2).
What you need to know about the Portland State Vikings
So far this year, eight out of Portland State’s 17 Big Sky games with an over/under have hit the over. The Vikings put up 76.1 points per game and give up 75.2, making them 76th in the nation offensively and 318th on defense. On the boards, Portland State is 17th-worst in college basketball in rebounds (28.1 per game). It is 222nd in rebounds allowed (31.7 per game).
At 7.5 made 3-pointers per game and shooting 34% from downtown, Portland State is 175th and 191st in college basketball, respectively, in those categories. The Vikings are 83rd in the country in 3-pointers allowed (6.5 per game) and 292nd in 3-point percentage defensively (35.6%).
The Vikings have two wins against the spread, and are 3-7 overall, over their last 10 contests. Six of Portland State’s last 10 outings have gone over the total. Portland State is averaging 74.5 points per game over its past 10 games, which is 1.6 fewer points than its average for the season (76.1). The Vikings are giving up 78.9 points per contest over their past 10 games, compared to their season average of 75.2 points allowed.
Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this game is Northern Colorado, and we predict that Portland State will cover the spread (Northern Colorado -3). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going under the posted total of 160.5 points.
How to bet Northern Colorado vs. Portland State
You can bet on Northern Colorado vs. Portland State 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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