Chicago State Cougars vs Fairleigh Dickinson Knights Matchup

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

Fairleigh Dickinson vs Chicago State Prediction

The Knights and Cougars are set to face off at 7:00 ET on NEC. The Cougars will host the game at Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, IL. Fairleigh Dickinson is favored by -1.5 in this Northeast conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 143 points.

Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Chicago State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at Chicago State Cougars
Where: Chicago at Jones Convocation Center
Date: Monday, January 20th
Betting Odds FAIRDK -1.5, FAIRDK -135 | CHIST +114 O/U 143

Knights Preview: Will the Knights Defense Show Up in Chicago?

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights Recent Game/Games

Fairleigh Dickinson dropped to 3-13 on the season after a 71-60 home loss to Central Connecticut State on Saturday. The Knights entered the game as +7 underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 37-30 at halftime, the Knights couldn’t mount a comeback, scoring 30 points in the 2nd half while allowing 34. The game’s total points of 131 fell under the O/U line of 139.5.

Knights Offense Breakdown

Fairleigh Dickinson's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 31.7% from the field and 31.2% from beyond the arc. They finished with an effective field goal percentage of 39.7%, scoring 60 points overall.

Ahmed Barba-Bey led the way with 25 points, hitting 7 of 12 threes at 58.3%. Jayden Brown added 16 points, connecting on 3 of 7 from deep, while Abdul Momoh contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the floor.

Knights Team Defense

Fairleigh Dickinson's defense held strong, giving up just 71 points while limiting their opponent to 31% shooting from the field. They allowed 20 made field goals on 63 attempts.

Inside the arc, the Knights held their opponent to 10/31 shooting (32%), while from three-point range, they allowed 10/32 (31%). They sent their opponent to the free-throw line 14 times, where they made 10 (71%).

Cougars Preview: Will the Cougars Come Through as Home Underdogs?

Chicago State Cougars Recent Game/Games

The Cougars picked up their second win of the season with an 88-72 victory over Le Moyne on Saturday. Chicago State, who were +3 underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The game’s total points reached 160, surpassing the 140.5 O/U line.

Chicago State led 46-39 at halftime and continued their strong play in the 2nd half, outscoring Le Moyne 42-33 to seal the win.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

Chicago State put up 88 points in their last game, shooting 58.1% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 69.8%, though they struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 53.8% of their attempts.

Jalen Forrest led the way with 24 points, knocking down 4 of 5 threes and grabbing 8 rebounds. AJ Dancler added 19 points and 5 assists, while Dwayne Koroma contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 71.4% from the field.

Cougars Team Defense

Even with Chicago State's defensive struggles, allowing 72 points, their offense couldn't capitalize. They shot 58% from the field, including 60% on two-point attempts, but their free-throw shooting was a weak point, hitting just 14 of 26 for 53%.

From beyond the arc, Chicago State connected on 10 of 18 threes, good for 55%. They also gave up 7 offensive rebounds to the opposing team.

Knights vs Cougars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last five road contests, Fairleigh Dickinson has a 5-0 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 2-3, while averaging 72 points per game.
In their last ten games at home, the Cougars have a straight up record of 1-9 while going 6-4 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 60 points per game in these contests.
As the betting underdog, the Cougars have an ATS mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Chicago State posted a straight up mark of 2-8 in these matchups.
Against the spread, the Knights have put together 1-2 in their last three games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 2-1 straight up.