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The Eastern Michigan Eagles (8-22, 5-12 MAC) will visit the Northern Illinois Huskies (12-18, 8-9 MAC) after dropping four consecutive road games. It begins at 1:00 PM ET on Friday, March 3, 2023.
The Huskies play the Eagles in a game that Northern Illinois is currently a small favorite by 4 points. The matchup’s over/under is 149.5.
Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan Odds
Point Spread for Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan
The spread for this matchup is set at 4 points, with oddsmakers listing Northern Illinois as the favorite.
Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Northern Illinois has -194 odds to pick up the win, while Eastern Michigan is listed at +163 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 149.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Friday, March 3, 2023
- Game Time: 1:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN3
- Location: DeKalb, Illinois
- Arena: NIU Convocation Center
Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan Betting Trends
Northern Illinois has played 28 games, with 16 wins against the spread. The Huskies have been chosen as favorites in eight games this year and have walked away with the win five times (62.5%) in those games. Northern Illinois’ games this year have gone over the total in 16 out of 29 opportunities (55.2%).
Eastern Michigan has 13 wins against the spread in 29 games this year. The Eagles have put together a 5-19 record in games they were the underdog on the moneyline (winning 20.8% of those games). Eastern Michigan’s games this season have gone over the total in 13 of 29 opportunities (44.8%).
Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan Key Players to Watch
Northern Illinois
David Coit is tops on his team in points per game (16), and also puts up 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists. At the other end, he averages 1.3 steals and 0 blocked shots. Kaleb Thornton posts a team-leading 5.1 assists per game. He is also posting 8.6 points and 2.7 rebounds, shooting 42.6% from the floor and 36.7% from downtown with 1.2 made 3-pointers per game. Zarigue Nutter is averaging 12.2 points, 1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per contest. Anthony Crump puts up a team-high 5.2 rebounds per contest. He is also posting 7.5 points and 1.2 assists, shooting 62.1% from the field.
Eastern Michigan
Emoni Bates is putting up team highs in points (19.7 per game) and rebounds (5.8). And he is contributing 1.4 assists, making 41% of his shots from the floor and 33.9% from 3-point range, with 2.6 triples per game. Tyson Acuff is posting a team-leading 2.7 assists per game. He’s also contributing 13.9 points and 2.8 rebounds, sinking 44.6% of his shots from the field, and 32.4% from beyond the arc resulting in 1.6 triples per contest. Noah Farrakhan gets the Eagles 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest. He also posts 0.7 steals and 0.1 blocked shots. The Eagles get 5.8 points, 4 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game from Legend Geeter.
What you need to know about the Northern Illinois Huskies
So far this season, nine out of Northern Illinois’ 17 MAC games have gone over the point total. With 72.1 points per game on offense, the Huskies rank 172nd in college basketball. Defensively, they allow 75.3 points per contest, which ranks 319th in college basketball. So far this year, Northern Illinois is pulling down 29.8 boards per game (285th-ranked in college basketball) and allowing 33.6 rebounds per contest (319th-ranked).
Offensively, the Huskies have fared better when playing at home this season, averaging 76.9 points per game, compared to 69.2 per game on the road. Northern Illinois is draining 7.4 threes per game (189th-ranked in college basketball). It owns a 34.5% shooting percentage (175th-ranked) from beyond the arc. The Huskies rank 193rd in college basketball with 7.3 threes allowed per game so far this year. Meanwhile, they rank 147th with a 33.3% shooting percentage allowed from downtown.
The Huskies are 6-4 against the spread and 4-6 overall in their past 10 contests. Six of Northern Illinois’ past 10 outings have gone over the total. On offense, Northern Illinois has picked up its production a little bit over its last 10 games, scoring 75.4 points per contest over that span compared to the 72.1 it has racked up over the course of this season. Northern Illinois has been less stingy on defense lately, allowing 75.4 points per game over its last 10 contests compared to the 75.3 points per game its opponents average in the 2022-23 season.
What you need to know about the Eastern Michigan Eagles
In Eastern Michigan’s 17 chances this year in MAC action, the combined scoring has gone over the point total six times. In 2022-23, the Eagles are 165th in the country on offense (72.4 points scored per game) and worst defensively (80.7 points conceded). Eastern Michigan is the 16th-worst squad in the nation in rebounds per game (28) and 327th in rebounds conceded (33.8).
The Eagles are putting up fewer points at home (68.6 per game) than on the road (74.6). Eastern Michigan makes 6.2 3-pointers per game and shoots 31.7% from beyond the arc, ranking 300th and 312th, respectively, in the country. Defensively, the Eagles are 314th in the country in 3-pointers conceded per game at 8.4. They are 181st in 3-point percentage conceded at 33.9%.
The Eagles have gone 4-6 in their past 10 games, with a 7-3 record against the spread in that span. Three of Eastern Michigan’s last 10 outings have gone over the total. Over its previous 10 games, Eastern Michigan is posting 72.8 points per contest, 0.4 more than its season average (72.4). The Eagles are giving up 78.5 points per game over their previous 10 games, which is 2.2 fewer points than they are allowing for the season (80.7).
Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this game is Northern Illinois, and we predict that Northern Illinois will cover the spread (Northern Illinois -4). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 149.5 points.
How to bet Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan
You can bet on Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan 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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