IU Indy Jaguars vs Youngstown State Penguins Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Youngstown State vs IU Indy NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Indianapolis.

Youngstown State vs IU Indy Prediction

The Penguins and Jaguars are set to face off at 12:00 ET on ESPN+. The Jaguars will host the game at Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis, IN. Youngstown State come into this Horizon League conference matchup as the -5.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 142 points.

Youngstown State vs. IU Indy Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Youngstown State Penguins at IU Indy Jaguars
Where: Indianapolis at Corteva Coliseum
Date: Wednesday, January 1st
Betting Odds YNGST -5.5, YNGST -244 | IUPUI +195 O/U 142

Penguins Preview: Will Youngstown State Pull Through as the Favored Road Team?

Youngstown State Penguins Recent Game/Games

The Penguins improved to 8-5 on the season with a 73-64 win over Detroit on Sunday. Playing at home, Youngstown State entered the game as -14.5 favorites but didn’t cover the spread.

After leading 38-23 at halftime, the Penguins allowed 41 points in the 2nd half while scoring 35. The game’s total points landed on 137, right at the O/U line.

Penguins Offense Breakdown

Youngstown State put up 73 points in their last game, shooting just 36.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 43.3%. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting 31% on 9 of 29 attempts, and shot 41.9% on two-pointers.

Orlando Lovejoy led the way with 23 points, while EJ Farmer added 16, hitting 3 of 5 from deep. The Penguins grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists, shooting 62.5% from the free-throw line.

Penguins Team Defense

Youngstown State's defense held their opponent to 64 points, with a field goal percentage of 36% (22/60). Inside the arc, they allowed 13 two-point baskets on 31 attempts, a 41% shooting rate.

From three-point range, their opponent shot 31%, making 9 of 29 attempts. Youngstown State also sent them to the free-throw line 32 times, where they converted 20, shooting 62%. The Penguins gave up 15 offensive rebounds.

Jaguars Preview: Can the Jaguars Pull the Upset at Home?

IU Indy Jaguars Recent Game/Games

The Jaguars fell to 2-10 this season after an 88-81 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday. Despite being +16.5 point underdogs on the road, they kept the game closer than expected.

After a 35-35 first half, the Jaguars scored 46 points but allowed 53 in the second half. The total points for the game hit 169, surpassing the 148.5 O/U line.

Jaguars Offense Breakdown

The Jaguars put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 47.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54%. They were strong inside, hitting 57.5% of their two-point attempts, while their three-point shooting was less effective at 30.4% (7/23). At the free-throw line, they connected on 82.4% of their attempts, going 14/17.

Themus Fulks led the way with 26 points and 5 assists, shooting 60% from the field. Sean Craig added 22 points and 8 rebounds, hitting 66.7% of his shots and 2 of 3 from beyond the arc. Kentrell Pullian contributed 20 points, making 4 of 7 threes, while Paul Zilinskas chipped in 21 points despite shooting just 25% from deep.

Jaguars Team Defense

Despite the IU Indy Jaguars' defensive efforts, they gave up 88 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 53% from the field. The Jaguars struggled to contain two-point shots, allowing 23 of 37 attempts to fall, a 62% success rate.

From beyond the arc, the Jaguars' defense held their opponents to 33% shooting, with 5 made threes on 15 attempts. However, they sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 37 times, where they converted 27 for 73%. The Jaguars also allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Penguins vs Jaguars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Youngstown State has played well in their previous three road games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 74 points per game while allowing 64. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-0.
When looking at their past five home matchups, IU Indy has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 73 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Jaguars have gone 6-4 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
Through their last five games as the favorite, the Penguins have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 4-1.