Idaho State Bengals vs Montana State Bobcats Matchup

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

Montana State vs Idaho State Prediction

Betting on today's Bobcats and Bengals game? Catch the action at Reed Gym in Pocatello, ID, as the Bengals hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Big Sky conference contest is set at 136.5 points, with Idaho State being favored by -1.5 at home against Montana State.

Montana State vs. Idaho State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Montana State Bobcats at Idaho State Bengals
Where: Pocatello at Reed Gym
Date: Thursday, January 16th
Betting Odds IDHST -1.5, MONST -108 | IDHST -111 O/U 136.5

Bobcats Preview: Does Montana State Stand a Chance on the Road?

Montana State improved to 5-11 on the season with a 58-53 win over Northern Arizona on Saturday. The Bobcats were -6.5 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 111 fell well short of the 148.5 O/U line.

After trailing 25-17 at halftime, Montana State turned things around in the second half, scoring 41 points while holding the Lumberjacks to 28.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Montana State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 58 points while shooting 39% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.1%, with a 26.1% mark from beyond the arc, hitting only 6 of 23 attempts. At the free-throw line, they connected on just 50%, making 6 of 12 shots.

Trent McLaughlin led the team with 24 points, but shot 37.5% overall and just 16.7% from three-point range, hitting 2 of 12 attempts. Brandon Walker added 17 points, shooting 50% from the field, while Carson Towt contributed 12 points and 17 rebounds, also shooting 50%.

Bobcats Team Defense

Montana State's defense held their opponent to just 53 points, allowing them to shoot 39% from the field on 23 of 59 attempts. Inside the arc, the Bobcats gave up 17 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 47% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Montana State's defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 23 attempts, a 26% shooting performance. The Bobcats also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 12 times, where they converted 6 shots, shooting 50%.

Bengals Preview: Is a Home Win Possible for the Bengals?

Idaho State dropped to 3-8 on the season after a 77-69 home loss to Weber State on Saturday. The Bengals were -4 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 146, surpassing the O/U line of 137.5.

Idaho State trailed 36-30 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 39 points while allowing 41.

Bengals Offense Breakdown

Idaho State's offense put up 69 points in their last game, shooting 40% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.5%, with a strong 57.1% shooting inside the arc. However, they struggled from three-point range, hitting just 6 of 27 attempts for 22.2%.

The Bengals grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and connected on 19 of 27 free throws, shooting 70.4% from the line. Dylan Darling led the way with 28 points, shooting 58.8% overall and 37.5% from three. Dyson Koehler added 21 points, hitting 6 of 8 threes, while Vasilije Vucinic and Blaise Threatt each contributed 17 points, with Threatt also grabbing 7 rebounds.

Bengals Team Defense

Despite Idaho State allowing 77 points, they held their opponent to 40% shooting from the field. The Bengals gave up 16 two-point baskets on 28 attempts, a 57% conversion rate.

From beyond the arc, Idaho State's defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 27 attempts, just 22% shooting. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 27 times, where they hit 19 free throws, a 70% success rate. Idaho State allowed 18 offensive rebounds.

Bobcats vs Bengals Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Bobcats have a straight up record of 0-5 while going 0-5 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 63 points per game in these contests.
Idaho State has a 1-4 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 75 points per game while allowing 80. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
Going back to their last five games as the underdog, the Bobcats have a straight up record of 0-5. But, their mark vs the spread was just 1-4.
As the betting favorite, the Bengals have an ATS mark of just 4-6 in their last ten games. Idaho State posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.