Bakersfield Roadrunners vs North Dakota State Bison Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Bakersfield vs North Dakota State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Fargo.

Bakersfield vs North Dakota State Prediction

The Roadrunners and Bison are set to face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bison will host the game at Scheels Center in Fargo, ND. The odds for this non-conference game currently have North Dakota State as the -9.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 139 points.

Bakersfield vs. North Dakota State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Bakersfield Roadrunners at North Dakota State Bison
Where: Fargo at Scheels Center
Date: Monday, December 23rd
Betting Odds NDKST -9.5, CSU +368 | NDKST -495 O/U 139

Roadrunners Preview: Will the Roadrunners Come Through as Road Underdogs?

The Roadrunners dropped to 4-7 on the season after a 59-58 loss to Portland State on Saturday. Bakersfield, who were -4 favorites, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread.

Despite leading 30-18 at halftime, the Roadrunners allowed 41 points in the second half while scoring just 28. The game’s total points of 117 fell well short of the O/U line of 143.5.

Roadrunners Offense Breakdown

The Roadrunners struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 58 points on 37.7% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.5%, and they hit only 4 of 19 from beyond the arc, shooting 21.1% from three-point range.

Fidelis Okereke led the way with 15 points, shooting 75% from the field, while Isaiah Johnson added 14 points on 55.6% shooting. Bakersfield had 11 offensive rebounds and 8 assists, and they shot 82.4% from the free-throw line, making 14 of 17 attempts.

Roadrunners Team Defense

Even with Bakersfield giving up 11 offensive rebounds, they managed to hold their opponent to just 59 points. The Roadrunners' defense was effective, allowing only 20 field goals on 53 attempts, a 37% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Bakersfield limited their opponent to 4 threes on 19 attempts, a 21% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 14, shooting 82%.

Bison Preview: Will the Bison Defense Show Up at Home?

North Dakota State improved to 7-4 on the season with a dominant 98-62 win over Western Michigan on Sunday. Playing at home, the Bison entered the game as -8.5 favorites and covered the spread comfortably.

North Dakota State led 49-28 at halftime and matched that output in the 2nd half while allowing 34 points. The total points for the game reached 160, surpassing the over/under line of 144.

Bison Offense Breakdown

North Dakota State's offense was on fire in their last game, scoring 98 points with a field goal percentage of 69.1% (38/55). Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 85.5%, thanks to shooting 83.3% on two-pointers (20/24) and 58.1% from beyond the arc (18/31).

They dished out 24 assists, with Jacksen Moni contributing 7, along with 16 points. Chansey Willis Jr. led the team with 22 points and 5 assists, while Jacari White added 19 points and 5 assists, hitting 4 of 6 threes. The Bison struggled from the free-throw line, shooting just 44.4% (4/9), and grabbed only 3 offensive rebounds.

Bison Team Defense

North Dakota State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 62 points while allowing their opponent to shoot a scorching 69% from the field. The Bison couldn't contain the two-point attack, as the other team connected on 83% of their shots, going 20/24.

From beyond the arc, North Dakota State's defense allowed 18 threes on 31 attempts, a 58% shooting performance. They did manage to limit free-throw opportunities, with the opponent hitting just 4/9. The Bison also kept their opponent off the offensive glass, giving up only 3 offensive rebounds.

Roadrunners vs Bison Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last five road contests, the Roadrunners offense has averaged 65 points per game while allowing an average of 75. Bakersfield posted an overall record of 1-4 while going 1-4 ATS.
In their last three home games, North Dakota State has averaged 77 points per game while allowing 68. The team's record in this stretch was 3-0 while going 3-0 vs. the spread.
In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Roadrunners have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 2-3.
As the betting favorite, the Bison have an ATS record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 3-2.