Western Michigan Broncos vs Youngstown State Penguins Matchup

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

Western Michigan vs Youngstown State Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Broncos and Penguins. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Penguins at Beeghly Center in Youngstown, OH. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 141.5 points, with Youngstown State being favored by -9.5 over Western Michigan.

Western Michigan vs. Youngstown State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Western Michigan Broncos at Youngstown State Penguins
Where: Youngstown at Beeghly Center
Date: Wednesday, November 27th
Betting Odds YNGST -9.5, WMICH +345 | YNGST -451 O/U 141.5

Broncos Preview: Will Western Michigan Make it Happen on the Road?

Western Michigan Broncos Recent Game/Games

The Broncos fell to South Dakota 80-76 on Wednesday, November 20th, in a home game. Western Michigan entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 156, just over the 155.5 O/U line.

Western Michigan led 34-33 at halftime but allowed 47 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42. The Broncos will need to tighten up defensively to get back on track in their next game.

Broncos Offense Breakdown

Western Michigan's offense put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 40.8% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 4 of 22 attempts for an 18.2% rate, leading to an effective field goal percentage of 43.7%. Inside, they connected on 51% of their two-point shots, and they added 14 points from the free-throw line, shooting 70%.

The Broncos dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 24 offensive rebounds, though they recorded only 10 assists. Markhi Strickland and Dre Bullock each scored 20 points, with Strickland shooting 70% from the field. Paul Bruns added 18 points, hitting 3 of 8 from deep, while Cameron Fens contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 77.8% overall.

Broncos Team Defense

Western Michigan's defense gave up 80 points in their last game, allowing the opposing team to shoot 40% from the field. The Broncos struggled to contain two-point shots, with their opponent hitting 51% (25/49) from inside the arc.

However, Western Michigan did a good job defending the three, holding their opponent to just 18% shooting (4/22) from long range. They also sent the other team to the line 20 times, where they made 70% of their free throws.

Penguins Preview: Does Youngstown State Stand a Chance at Home?

Youngstown State Penguins Recent Game/Games

Youngstown State fell 64-57 to Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, November 23rd. The Penguins, who were +3 underdogs, didn’t cover the spread in this road game.

Trailing 30-24 at halftime, Youngstown State scored 33 points in the 2nd half but allowed 34. The game’s total points of 121 fell short of the 128.5 O/U line.

Penguins Offense Breakdown

Youngstown State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 36.2% and an effective field goal percentage of 41.4%. They hit 40% of their two-point attempts (14/35) and 30.4% from beyond the arc (7/23), while also shooting just 47.1% from the free-throw line (8/17).

Nico Galette led the Penguins with 20 points, shooting 61.5% overall and 50% from three-point range (4/8). Chrishawn Christmas also connected on 50% of his threes (2/4), finishing with 12 points and 8 rebounds. The team managed just 8 assists and 11 offensive rebounds in the game.

Penguins Team Defense

Youngstown State's defense gave up 64 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 47% from the field on 21 of 44 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 13 of 27 shooting, a 48% success rate.

From three-point range, Youngstown State's defense conceded 8 of 17 shots, with opponents hitting 47%. They also sent the other team to the line 18 times, where they made 14 free throws, a 77% rate. Youngstown State allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Broncos vs Penguins Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last five road contests, the Broncos offense has averaged 64 points per game while allowing an average of 74. Western Michigan posted an overall record of 1-4 while going 2-3 ATS.
Through their last ten home contests, the Penguins offense has averaged 75 points per game while allowing an average of 73. Youngstown State posted an overall record of 5-5 while going 6-4 ATS.
Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Broncos have a straight up record of 0-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 1-2.
Youngstown State has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 ATS in their last three games.