Northern Illinois Huskies vs Ohio Bobcats Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Northern Illinois vs Ohio NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Athens.

Northern Illinois vs Ohio Prediction

Looking to win big? The Huskies and Bobcats face off at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bobcats are hosting the game at Convocation Center (OH) in Athens, OH. The over/under for this Mid-American conference contest is set at 149 points, with Ohio being favored by -20.5 at home against Northern Illinois.

Northern Illinois vs. Ohio Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Northern Illinois Huskies at Ohio Bobcats
Where: Athens at Convocation Center (OH)
Date: Saturday, January 11th
Betting Odds OHIO -20.5, NILL +1500 | OHIO -4500 O/U 149

Huskies Preview: Will the Huskies Make it Happen on the Road?

Northern Illinois Huskies Recent Game/Games

The Huskies dropped to 1-10 on the season following a 68-50 home loss to Kent State on Tuesday. Entering the game as +12.5 point underdogs, Northern Illinois not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Northern Illinois trailed 35-21 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap, scoring 29 points in the second half while allowing 33. The game’s total points of 118 fell well short of the 139.5 O/U line.

Huskies Offense Breakdown

Northern Illinois struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 50 points on 30.5% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 37.3%, and they connected on only 25.9% of their three-point attempts, going 7-for-27 from deep.

At the free-throw line, the Huskies hit just 46.7% of their attempts, making 7-of-15. They grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and dished out 11 assists. VonCameron Davis led the way with 31 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 50% overall, while James Dent Jr. added 21 points, hitting 3-of-10 from beyond the arc.

Huskies Team Defense

Despite giving up 10 offensive rebounds, Northern Illinois held their opponent to just 68 points on 30% shooting from the field. The Huskies limited their opponent's two-point attempts to 34%, with only 11 made shots out of 32 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Northern Illinois kept their opponent to 25% shooting, with just 7 made threes on 27 attempts. The Huskies also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 15 times, where they made 7 shots, shooting 46%.

Bobcats Preview: Can Ohio Grab a Win at Home?

Ohio Bobcats Recent Game/Games

The Bobcats improved to 7-6 on the season with an 88-79 win over Buffalo on Tuesday. Ohio was favored by 11.5 points but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 167, surpassing the O/U line of 153.5.

Ohio took control early, leading 37-20 at halftime, but allowed 59 points in the 2nd half while scoring 51 of their own.

Bobcats Offense Breakdown

Ohio's offense was firing on all cylinders in their latest game, putting up 88 points with a 50.8% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 56.9%, thanks in part to their 59.5% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, the Bobcats hit 8 of 23 threes, shooting 34.8%, and they connected on 73.7% of their free throws, going 14 for 19 from the line.

AJ Clayton led the way with 27 points and 7 rebounds, hitting 4 of 8 from three-point range. Tyson Dunn added 21 points, knocking down 5 of 9 threes and dishing out 8 assists. Aidan Hadaway was a force on the boards, grabbing 16 rebounds to go along with his 17 points, shooting 7 for 10 from the field.

Bobcats Team Defense

Ohio's defense gave up 79 points, with their opponent shooting 42% from the field. They allowed 53% shooting on two-pointers, with the other team making 22 of 41 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Ohio held their opponent to 25% shooting, as they hit 7 of 27 threes. The other team also went 14/22 from the free-throw line, and Ohio gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Huskies vs Bobcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road contests, the Huskies offense has averaged 62 points per game while allowing an average of 85. Northern Illinois posted an overall record of 0-3 while going 1-2 ATS.
Through their last three home contests, the Bobcats offense has averaged 71 points per game while allowing an average of 71. Ohio posted an overall record of 2-1 while going 0-3 ATS.
In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Huskies have a straight up record of 0-5 and an ATS mark of 1-4.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Bobcats have a straight up record of 4-1, while going 1-4 against the spread.