Grambling State Tigers vs Norfolk State Spartans Matchup

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

Grambling State vs Norfolk State Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Tigers and Spartans. The game is starting at 4:00 ET on SWAC, and it's hosted by the Spartans at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 140.5 points, and Norfolk State is favored by -5.5 at home against Grambling State.

Grambling State vs. Norfolk State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Grambling State Tigers at Norfolk State Spartans
Where: Uncasville at Mohegan Sun Arena
Date: Friday, December 20th
Betting Odds NORFST -5.5, GRMBST +190 | NORFST -239 O/U 140.5

Tigers Preview: Are the Tigers Ready for a Win at Uncasville?

Grambling State’s season struggles continued with a 73-60 home loss to Delaware State on Thursday, dropping their record to 0-8. The Tigers entered the game as -4.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread. The combined points of 133 fell short of the 141.5 O/U line.

After trailing 29-25 at halftime, Grambling State allowed 44 points in the 2nd half while scoring 35 of their own, leading to the loss.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Grambling State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.9% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of 24 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.4%, and they connected on 12 of 19 free throws, a 63.2% rate.

Robert Smith led the team with 16 points, despite shooting 6 of 17, while Martaz Robinson added 15 points, hitting 4 of 5 threes. Muneer Newton contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 6 of 8 from the field, and Grambling pulled down 15 offensive rebounds as a team.

Tigers Team Defense

Grambling State's defense held their opponent to 73 points, despite giving up 15 offensive rebounds. They allowed a 37% shooting performance, with the other team hitting 22 of their 58 field goal attempts.

Defensively, the Tigers gave up 18 two-point baskets on 34 attempts for 52% shooting. From beyond the arc, they limited the opposition to just 4 made threes on 24 attempts, a 16% shooting rate. At the free-throw line, the other team went 12/19, shooting 63%.

Spartans Preview: Will the Norfolk State Defense Show Up at Home?

Norfolk State improved to 5-6 on the season with a 71-54 road win over Alabama State on Thursday. The Spartans entered the game as 4-point favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 125 fell short of the 146.5 O/U line.

Norfolk State dominated the first half, leading 44-21, but allowed Alabama State to outscore them 33-27 in the second half.

Spartans Offense Breakdown

Norfolk State put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 46% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 48%, with 3 made threes on 10 attempts.

They hit 78.6% of their free throws, going 22/28 from the line, and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. TJ Madlock led the team with 17 points, while Brian Moore Jr. added 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Spartans Team Defense

Norfolk State’s defense was dominant, holding their opponent to just 54 points on 31% shooting (18/58). They were particularly effective at defending the three-point line, where they allowed only 3 of 26 attempts to fall, an 11% success rate.

Inside the arc, the Spartans gave up 15 two-point baskets on 32 attempts (46%). They sent their opponent to the free-throw line 22 times, where they converted 15 shots (68%). Norfolk State also allowed 13 offensive rebounds.

Tigers vs Spartans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Grambling State has a 0-5 record in their last five road games. In this stretch, they averaged 65 points per game while allowing 82. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
Across the Spartans last ten home games, the team averaged 70 points per game while allowing 72. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 7-3, while going 4-6 straight-up.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Grambling State has an ATS mark of 7-3 while going 2-8 straight up.
The last ten games that Norfolk State was favored, they have an ATS mark of 7-3 while going 7-3 straight up.