Idaho State Bengals vs Utah Valley Wolverines Matchup

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

Utah Valley vs Idaho State Prediction

Planning on watching today's Wolverines 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 game is set at 135.5 points, and Idaho State is favored by -1.5 against Utah Valley in a non-conference matchup.

Utah Valley vs. Idaho State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Utah Valley Wolverines at Idaho State Bengals
Where: Pocatello at Reed Gym
Date: Wednesday, December 18th
Betting Odds IDHST -1.5, UTAHV +105 | IDHST -128 O/U 135.5

Wolverines Preview: Can the Wolverines Pull Off a Win at Pocatello?

Utah Valley’s season record dropped to 4-6 following a 70-66 loss to Jacksonville State on Saturday. The Wolverines entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 136, falling short of the 140.5 O/U line.

Utah Valley trailed 32-31 at halftime and were outscored 38-35 in the second half. They’ll look to bounce back after this road loss.

Wolverines Offense Breakdown

Utah Valley struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 37.1% from the field and 20.7% from beyond the arc, connecting on only 6 of 29 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.9%, and they managed 9 assists as a team.

Jaron Pierre Jr. led the way with 26 points and 8 rebounds, hitting 3 of 6 from deep. Dominick Nelson added 20 points, shooting 50% overall, while Tanner Toolson contributed 19 points and 8 boards, despite going 1 for 6 from three-point range.

Wolverines Team Defense

Utah Valley's defense gave up 70 points in this one, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field. They held them to 38% on two-point attempts, as the other team went 15/39 inside the arc.

From three-point range, the other team shot 50%, hitting 8 of their 16 attempts. They also got to the line 20 times, making 16 free throws for an 80% rate. Utah Valley allowed 7 offensive rebounds.

Bengals Preview: Will the Bengals Win at Home?

Idaho State Bengals Recent Game/Games

Idaho State improved to 2-5 on the season with a 71-55 win over Oral Roberts on Saturday. The Bengals were favored by 5.5 points and covered the spread, while the game’s total points of 126 fell short of the 142.5 O/U line.

Leading 32-28 at halftime, Idaho State’s defense stepped up in the second half, allowing just 27 points while scoring 39 of their own.

Bengals Offense Breakdown

Idaho State's offense struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 2 of 18 threes for an 11.1% shooting percentage. Overall, they shot 40.4% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 42.1%. Inside the arc, they were more efficient, connecting on 53.8% of their two-point attempts.

The Bengals were strong at the free-throw line, making 23 of 27 attempts for an 85.2% shooting percentage. They also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and recorded 17 assists. Jake O'Neil pulled down 19 rebounds and added 14 points, while Dylan Darling dished out 9 assists despite shooting 2 of 10 from the field.

Bengals Team Defense

Idaho State’s defense held their opponent to just 55 points, despite allowing them to shoot 53% from two-point range (21/39). The Bengals were especially effective at defending the three-point line, where they limited their opponent to just 2 made threes on 18 attempts, an 11% shooting performance.

Even with their strong defensive showing, Idaho State sent their opponent to the free-throw line 27 times, where they converted 23 attempts (85%). The Bengals also gave up 17 offensive rebounds in the game.

Wolverines vs Bengals Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Utah Valley has a straight up record of 0-3 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 0-3. The team averaged 63 points per game in these games.
In their last ten games at home, the Bengals have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 7-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 68 points per game in these contests.
As the betting underdog, the Wolverines have an ATS mark of just 1-4 in their last five games. Utah Valley posted a straight up mark of 1-4 in these matchups.
As the betting favorite, the Bengals have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. Idaho State posted a straight up mark of 2-3 in these matchups.