McNeese State Cowboys vs Northwestern State Demons Matchup

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

McNeese State vs Northwestern State Prediction

The Cowboys and Demons are set to face off at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The Demons will host the game at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, LA. McNeese State is favored by -10.5 in this Southland conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 130.5 points.

McNeese State vs. Northwestern State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: McNeese State Cowboys at Northwestern State Demons
Where: Natchitoches at Prather Coliseum
Date: Monday, January 6th
Betting Odds MCNST -10.5, MCNST -561 | NWST +395 O/U 130.5

Cowboys Preview: Is a Win at Natchitoches Possible for the Cowboys?

McNeese State Cowboys Recent Game/Games

McNeese State improved to 7-5 on the season with a 75-56 win over East Texas A&M on Saturday. The Cowboys, who were -16.5 point favorites, covered the spread in the victory.

McNeese State jumped out to a 41-23 lead at halftime, but the 2nd half was more even, with the Cowboys outscoring the Lions 34-33. The game’s total points of 131 fell short of the 136.5-point O/U line.

Cowboys Offense Breakdown

McNeese State put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 50.9% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 56.4%, with a strong 59.5% shooting on two-pointers, while hitting 33.3% from beyond the arc, going 6-for-18.

Javohn Garcia led the way with 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three, adding 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Yusef Salih contributed 18 points, hitting 4-of-8 from deep and shooting 50% overall.

Cowboys Team Defense

McNeese State's defense was on point, holding their opponent to just 56 points on 31% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team making only 10 of 28 attempts for 35%.

From beyond the arc, McNeese State's defense allowed 10 threes on 36 attempts, a 27% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the line just 8 times, where they hit 6 free throws.

Demons Preview: Will the Demons Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?

Northwestern State Demons Recent Game/Games

The Demons improved to 4-7 on the season with a 68-66 win over Nicholls on Saturday. Northwestern State, who were -1.5 point favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

Leading 36-33 at halftime, the Demons scored 32 points in the second half while allowing 33. The total points for the game were 134, falling short of the 138.5 O/U line.

Demons Offense Breakdown

Northwestern State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 38.6% from the field and 27.8% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.1%, but they did convert 79.2% of their free throws, going 19-for-24 from the line.

Micah Thomas and Michael Gray Jr. each scored 18 points, with Gray hitting 4 threes at a 44.4% clip. Addison Patterson contributed 12 rebounds, while the Demons grabbed 17 offensive boards as a team.

Demons Team Defense

Even with Northwestern State's defense giving up 66 points, they managed to hold their opponent to just 38% shooting from the field, as the Demons allowed 22 made baskets on 57 attempts. Inside the arc, Northwestern State's defense conceded 17 two-point field goals on 39 attempts, which translates to a 43% shooting percentage.

From beyond the arc, the Demons held their opponent to 5 made three-pointers on 18 attempts, a 27% success rate. Northwestern State also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 24 times, where they converted 19 free throws, shooting 79%. The Demons gave up 17 offensive rebounds in the game.

Cowboys vs Demons Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Cowboys have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 71 points per game in this stretch.
Northwestern State has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 61 points per game while allowing 73. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Northwestern State has an ATS mark of 2-1 while going 1-2 straight up.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Cowboys have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 5-5.