Illinois State Redbirds vs Ohio Bobcats Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Illinois State vs Ohio NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Normal.

Illinois State vs Ohio Prediction

Planning on watching today's Redbirds and Bobcats game? Catch the action at CEFCU Arena in Normal, IL, as the Bobcats hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 144.5 points, with Ohio being favored by -3 over Illinois State.

Illinois State vs. Ohio Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Illinois State Redbirds at Ohio Bobcats
Where: Normal at CEFCU Arena
Date: Tuesday, November 12th
Betting Odds OHIO -3, ILLST +124 | OHIO -152 O/U 144.5

Redbirds Preview: Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog Illinois State?

Illinois State opened their season with a 77-68 road win over North Dakota State on Thursday. Entering as +4 point underdogs, the Redbirds not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

Illinois State led 42-31 at halftime and managed to hold off the Bison in the 2nd half, where they were outscored 37-35. The total points for the game reached 145, surpassing the O/U line of 138.5.

Redbirds Offense Breakdown

Illinois State put up 77 points in their last game, shooting 47.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54.2%. They hit 40% from three-point range, connecting on 8 of 20 attempts, and were nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 13 of 14 shots for a 92.9% success rate.

Jacari White led the way with 27 points in just 24 minutes, shooting 66.7% overall and from beyond the arc (4/6). Johnny Kinziger added 20 points, hitting 2 of 3 from deep, while Ty Pence contributed 17 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 63.6% from the field.

Redbirds Team Defense

Illinois State held their opponent to 68 points, with a defensive effort that limited them to 40% shooting from the field. The Redbirds gave up 27 field goals on 66 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Illinois State allowed 11 threes on 39 attempts, a 28% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line just 6 times, where they made 3 of their attempts.

Bobcats Preview: Will the Bobcats Win at Home?

Ohio Bobcats Recent Game/Games

Ohio picked up an 82-76 win over UNC Asheville on Saturday. The Bobcats were -9.5 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 158 narrowly exceeded the O/U line of 157.5.

Ohio led 42-34 at halftime and scored 40 points in the 2nd half, allowing 42 points to the Bulldogs after the break.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Ohio put up 82 points in their latest game, shooting 44.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.8%. They connected on 33.3% of their three-point attempts, going 8-for-24, and hit 77.4% from the free-throw line, making 24 of 31 attempts. The Bobcats also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists.

Fletcher Abee and Josh Banks both knocked down 5 threes, shooting 55.6% from deep, and finished with 20 points each. Abee shot 42.9% overall, while Banks hit 50% of his shots and added 7 rebounds. AJ Clayton contributed 19 points, shooting 50% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.

Bobcats Team Defense

Ohio’s defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 44% from the field. They allowed 53% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team went 17/32.

From beyond the arc, Ohio’s defense saw the opposition hit 8/24 threes, a 33% rate. They also sent their opponents to the line 31 times, where they converted 24 free throws, shooting 77%. Ohio gave up 13 offensive rebounds.

Redbirds vs Bobcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Illinois State has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 64 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
In their last three games at home, the Bobcats have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs. the spread. The team averaged 70 points per game in this stretch.
The Redbirds have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 3-2 straight up and 5-0 against the spread.
As the betting favorite, the Bobcats have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.