Idaho State Bengals vs Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Matchup

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

Idaho State vs Northern Arizona Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bengals and Lumberjacks. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Lumberjacks at J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, AZ. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 141.5 points, and Northern Arizona is favored by -2.5 to win at home against Idaho State.

Idaho State vs. Northern Arizona Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Idaho State Bengals at Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
Where: Flagstaff at J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome
Date: Thursday, January 2nd
Betting Odds NARZ -2.5, IDHST +117 | NARZ -142 O/U 141.5

Bengals Preview: Do the Bengals Have a Shot at a Win at Flagstaff?

Idaho State fell to 2-6 on the season after a 70-56 home loss to Utah Valley on Wednesday, December 18th. The Bengals entered the game as +1.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 126, falling short of the O/U line of 136.5.

Idaho State trailed 35-31 at halftime and struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 25 points while allowing 35.

Bengals Offense Breakdown

Idaho State's offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 56 points with a field goal percentage of 35.2% and an effective field goal percentage of 38.9%. They hit only 4 of 14 from beyond the arc, shooting 28.6%, and connected on 60.9% of their free throws, going 14 of 23 from the line.

Carter Welling led the Bengals with 23 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 64.3% from the field. Jake O'Neil contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, hitting 1 of 1 from three-point range and shooting 41.2% overall.

Bengals Team Defense

Despite Idaho State's strong defensive effort, they allowed 70 points in their previous game. The Bengals held their opponent to just 35% shooting from the field, with 19 made field goals on 54 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Idaho State's defense limited their opponent to 4/14 shooting, or 28%. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 23 times, where they made 14 free throws for 60%. Idaho State gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Lumberjacks Preview: Will the Lumberjacks Live Up to Expectations at Home?

Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Recent Game/Games

The Lumberjacks improved to 5-4 on the season with an 83-75 road win over Southern Utah on Saturday. Entering the game as +5.5 point underdogs, Northern Arizona not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After trailing 45-42 at halftime, the Lumberjacks clamped down defensively, allowing just 30 points in the 2nd half while scoring 41 of their own. The game’s total points of 158 went over the pre-game line of 151.5.

Lumberjacks Offense Breakdown

Northern Arizona put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 47.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.8%. They connected on 33.3% of their threes, hitting 7 of 21 attempts, while shooting 52.9% on two-point shots. At the free-throw line, they went 8 for 13, finishing at 61.5%.

Trent McLaughlin led the way with 26 points and 7 assists, shooting 42.3% overall and 36.4% from deep. Jayden Jackson added 23 points, hitting 9 of 13 shots and 2 of 3 from three-point range. Carson Towt contributed 21 points and 17 rebounds, shooting 47.4% from the field.

Lumberjacks Team Defense

Despite Northern Arizona's defensive efforts, they gave up 75 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 48% from the field. The Lumberjacks struggled to contain two-point shots, with the other team hitting 56% of their attempts, going 22/39.

From beyond the arc, Northern Arizona held their opponent to 31% shooting, with 6 made threes on 19 attempts. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 13 for 72%. The Lumberjacks allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Bengals vs Lumberjacks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, Idaho State has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 71 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
Through their last ten home contests, the Lumberjacks offense has averaged 71 points per game while allowing an average of 79. Northern Arizona posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 3-7 ATS.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the underdog, the Bengals have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Lumberjacks have a straight up record of 7-3. But, their mark vs the spread was just 2-8.