Cleveland State Vikings vs Youngstown State Penguins Matchup

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

Cleveland State vs Youngstown State Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Vikings versus the Penguins? Tip off is at at 2:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Beeghly Center in Youngstown, OH. This Horizon League conference matchup has an over/under of 140.5 points, and Youngstown State is favored to win by -3.5 at home vs. Cleveland State.

Cleveland State vs. Youngstown State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Cleveland State Vikings at Youngstown State Penguins
Where: Youngstown at Beeghly Center
Date: Saturday, January 11th
Betting Odds YNGST -3.5, CLVST +138 | YNGST -168 O/U 140.5

Vikings Preview: Will the Vikings Make it Happen in Youngstown?

Cleveland State improved to 8-6 on the season with an 80-69 road win over Robert Morris on Wednesday. The Vikings entered the game as +2 underdogs but came away with the win, covering the spread in the process. The total points for the game reached 149, surpassing the O/U line of 139.5.

After trailing 38-37 at halftime, Cleveland State turned things around in the second half, outscoring Robert Morris 43-31 to secure the win.

Vikings Offense Breakdown

Cleveland State's offense put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 47.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 54%, with a strong performance from beyond the arc, hitting 47.1% on 8 of 17 attempts.

The Vikings also grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and dished out 18 assists. Kam Woods led the team with 18 points and 6 assists, while Tevin Smith added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Vikings Team Defense

Even though Cleveland State gave up 69 points, they struggled defensively, allowing their opponent to shoot 47% from the field. The Vikings couldn’t contain the two-point attack, with their opponent hitting 53% of their shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, Cleveland State’s defense allowed 7 threes on 19 attempts, a 36% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 14 free throws (60%).

Penguins Preview: Can the Penguins Grab a Win at Home?

Youngstown State Penguins Recent Game/Games

Youngstown State improved to 10-6 on the season with a 72-61 home win over Northern Kentucky on Wednesday. The Penguins, who were -3 favorites, covered the spread. The total points for the game were 133, just under the O/U line of 136.5.

Youngstown State jumped out to a 42-25 lead at halftime but allowed 36 points in the 2nd half while scoring 30. Despite the closer 2nd half, they held on for the win.

Penguins Offense Breakdown

Youngstown State's offense was fueled by their three-point shooting in their last game, hitting 13 of 28 attempts for a 46.4% success rate. Their overall field goal percentage was 44.6%, with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1%. At the free-throw line, they were perfect, making all 9 of their attempts.

Juwan Maxey and Trey Robinson each scored 19 points, with Maxey hitting 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. Ty Harper also contributed, shooting 4 of 6 from three-point range. Gabe Dynes was efficient inside, making 5 of 6 shots and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Penguins Team Defense

Despite giving up 61 points, Youngstown State's defense allowed their opponent to shoot 44% from the field, with 25 made baskets on 56 attempts. They held their opponent to 42% shooting from two-point range, with 12 makes on 28 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Youngstown State's opponent connected on 13 of 28 three-point attempts, shooting 46%. They also went 9 for 9 from the free-throw line. Youngstown State gave up 11 offensive rebounds in the game.

Vikings vs Penguins Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past three road matchups, Cleveland State has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 76 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
Youngstown State has played well in their previous five home games, going 4-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 76 points per game while allowing 68. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
The Vikings have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 3-0 straight up and 3-0 against the spread.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Penguins have gone 7-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 8-2.