Montana State Bobcats vs Northern Colorado Bears Matchup

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

Northern Colorado vs Montana State Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Bears versus the Bobcats? Tip off is at at 9:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, MT. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 151.5 points, and Montana State is favored by -1.5 to win at home against Northern Colorado.

Northern Colorado vs. Montana State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Northern Colorado Bears at Montana State Bobcats
Where: Bozeman at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
Date: Thursday, January 9th
Betting Odds MONST -1.5, NCOL -101 | MONST -121 O/U 151.5

Bears Preview: Can Northern Colorado Deliver Being Underdogs on the Road?

Northern Colorado Bears Recent Game/Games

Northern Colorado improved to 7-5 on the season with a 93-92 win over Idaho State on Saturday, January 4th. The Bears were -8 favorites at home but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 185 went well over the O/U line of 146.5.

Northern Colorado led 38-36 at halftime and scored 40 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. Despite the close score, the Bears managed to pull out the win.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Northern Colorado's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, scoring 93 points on 62.1% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 65.5%, thanks in large part to their dominance inside the arc, where they hit 76.2% of their two-point attempts (32/42). The Bears struggled from three-point range, connecting on just 25% (4/16) of their shots.

Langston Reynolds led the way with 27 points and 8 assists, shooting 86.7% (13/15) from the field. Jake O'Neil and Brock Wisne also had strong performances, with O'Neil adding 21 points on 75% shooting and Wisne contributing 21 points on 76.9% shooting. Dylan Darling chipped in 22 points, despite shooting just 36.8% overall and 30% from three.

Bears Team Defense

Despite Northern Colorado's defensive struggles, they managed to put up 92 points in their last game. They shot 62% from the field, converting 36 of their 58 attempts. Inside the arc, they were particularly effective, hitting 76% of their two-point shots (32/42).

The Bears weren't as successful from three-point range, making just 4 of 16 attempts for 25%. They also went to the free-throw line 25 times, making 17 of those shots for a 68% free-throw percentage. On the offensive glass, they grabbed 7 rebounds.

Bobcats Preview: Can the Bobcats Hold Strong at Home?

Montana State Bobcats Recent Game/Games

Montana State's season record dropped to 4-10 after a 68-63 loss to Eastern Washington on Saturday. The Bobcats, who were -2 favorites going into the game, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Montana State led 32-31 at halftime but were outscored 37-31 in the second half. The game’s total points of 131 fell short of the 149.5 O/U line.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Montana State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 36.5% from the field and 27.3% from three-point range, finishing with 63 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.3%, but they did hit 82.6% of their free throws, going 19/23 from the line.

Nic McClain and Tyler Patterson each scored 16 points, with Patterson hitting 2 of 6 from beyond the arc. Andrew Cook added 13 points, shooting 60% from the field, while Mason Williams went 0/3 from three-point range, finishing with 11 points.

Bobcats Team Defense

Montana State's defense gave up 68 points, allowing the opposing team to shoot 44% from the field. They were effective at limiting three-point damage, with the other team hitting just 1 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc, a 7% success rate.

Inside the arc, the Bobcats' opponents shot 57%, making 24 of 42 two-point attempts. Montana State also sent them to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 17 free throws, an 85% rate. The Bobcats allowed 7 offensive rebounds.

Bears vs Bobcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road games, Northern Colorado has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 72 points per game.
Through their last ten home games, Montana State has an ATS record of just 3-7. However, their overall record was 1-9 while averaging 67 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Bears have an ATS mark of just 7-3 in their last ten games. Northern Colorado posted a straight up mark of 3-7 in these matchups.
Going back to their previous five games as the favorite, Montana State has an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 2-3 straight up.