Denver Pioneers vs Northern Colorado Bears Matchup

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

Northern Colorado vs Denver Prediction

Looking to win big? The Bears and Pioneers face off at 5:00 ET on Summ. The Pioneers are hosting the game at Hamilton Gymnasium in Denver, CO. Northern Colorado comes into this non-conference matchup as the -7 point favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 155.5 points.

Northern Colorado vs. Denver Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Northern Colorado Bears at Denver Pioneers
Where: Denver at Hamilton Gymnasium
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds NCOL -7, NCOL -310 | DEN +242 O/U 155.5

Bears Preview: Do the Bears Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Northern Colorado Bears Recent Game/Games

Northern Colorado improved to 4-5 on the season with an 81-76 win over Air Force on Monday. The Bears were -9.5 favorites at home but failed to cover the spread.

After leading 41-26 at halftime, Northern Colorado allowed 50 points in the 2nd half while scoring 40 of their own. The game’s total points of 157 went over the O/U line of 140.5.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Northern Colorado put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 52.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 56.6%, with a two-point shooting mark of 57.5% (23/40) and 38.5% from beyond the arc (5/13).

At the free-throw line, the Bears hit 87%, going 20/23. Langston Reynolds and Kyle Marshall each scored 23 points, with Reynolds adding 11 rebounds. Zach Bloch contributed 15 points, shooting 75% from three (3/4).

Bears Team Defense

Despite Northern Colorado's defensive efforts, they gave up 76 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 52% from the field. The Bears allowed 23 two-point baskets on 40 attempts, a 57% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Northern Colorado's defense saw their opponents hit 5 of 13 three-point attempts, a 38% success rate. The Bears also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 20 of those attempts, shooting 87%.

Pioneers Preview: Can the Pioneers Pull Off a Home Win?

Denver Pioneers Recent Game/Games

The Pioneers dropped to 3-8 on the season after a narrow 95-94 loss to Cal Poly on Tuesday. Despite being +10.5 point underdogs on the road, Denver managed to cover the spread.

Denver led 39-28 at halftime but allowed 48 points in the 2nd half while scoring 37. The game’s total points of 189 exceeded the O/U line of 161.5.

Pioneers Offense Breakdown

Denver's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 94 points with a 52.9% field goal percentage. They were particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting 45.5% of their threes, contributing to an overall effective field goal percentage of 60.3%.

Jarred Hyder led the way with 29 points, knocking down 8 of 13 threes at a 61.5% rate. Nicholas Shogbonyo and DeAndre Craig each added 22 points, with Shogbonyo connecting on 60% of his three-point attempts.

Pioneers Team Defense

Despite Denver's defensive struggles, they managed to put up 95 points in their last game. The Pioneers shot 47% from the field, going 29/61 overall. Inside the arc, they were particularly efficient, hitting 63% of their two-point attempts, with a 14/22 performance.

From beyond the arc, Denver knocked down 15 of their 39 three-point attempts, good for 38%. They also got to the free-throw line 31 times, converting 22 of those for 71%. On the boards, they gave up 17 offensive rebounds.

Bears vs Pioneers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Bears have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 72 points per game in these contests.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Denver has an ATS record of 2-3 while averaging 74 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Pioneers have a strong record vs the spread going 2-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 1-2.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Bears have a straight up record of 6-4 and an ATS mark of 3-7.