Northern Illinois Huskies vs Western Michigan Broncos Matchup

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

Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Prediction

The Huskies and Broncos are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Broncos will host the game at University Arena (MI) in Kalamazoo, MI. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 151.5 points, and Western Michigan is favored by -10.5 to win at home against Northern Illinois.

Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Northern Illinois Huskies at Western Michigan Broncos
Where: Kalamazoo at University Arena (MI)
Date: Tuesday, January 21st
Betting Odds WMICH -10.5, NILL +413 | WMICH -567 O/U 151.5

Huskies Preview: Do the Huskies Have What it Takes in Kalamazoo?

Northern Illinois Huskies Recent Game/Games

The Huskies dropped to 1-13 on the season after a 71-66 home loss to Central Michigan on Saturday, January 18th. Northern Illinois entered the game as +9 point underdogs but managed to keep it closer than expected. The total points for the game were 137, just under the O/U line of 141.5.

After trailing 35-29 at halftime, the Huskies scored 37 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

Huskies Offense Breakdown

Northern Illinois put up 66 points in their last game, shooting 42.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 55.6%, thanks in large part to hitting 13 of 27 from three-point range, good for 48.1%. They struggled inside the arc, shooting just 37% on two-point attempts.

Quaran McPherson led the way with 22 points, knocking down 5 of 7 threes and shooting 66.7% overall. Cayden Vasko was perfect from deep, hitting all 3 of his attempts, and added 5 assists. Anthony Pritchard also dished out 9 assists, finishing with 13 points.

Huskies Team Defense

Despite Northern Illinois holding their opponent to 71 points, the Huskies couldn't capitalize, allowing 13 three-pointers on 27 attempts, a 48% shooting performance from beyond the arc. They did manage to limit damage inside, with the opposition hitting just 10 of 27 two-point shots, good for 37%.

At the free-throw line, Northern Illinois sent their opponent to the stripe 15 times, where they converted 7 attempts for a 46% success rate. The Huskies also gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Broncos Preview: Will Western Michigan Make it Happen at Home?

Western Michigan Broncos Recent Game/Games

The Broncos’ season struggles continued with an 85-76 loss to Buffalo on Saturday, dropping their record to 3-13. Western Michigan, who were -8.5 favorites at home, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 53-39 at halftime, the Broncos tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing 32 points while scoring 37. However, it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback. The game’s total points of 161 exceeded the over/under line of 153.5.

Broncos Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Western Michigan put up 76 points, shooting 44.8% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.8%, with a strong 55.6% shooting inside the arc, but they struggled from deep, hitting just 5 of 22 attempts for a 22.7% three-point percentage.

Chansey Willis Jr. led the way with 21 points and 5 assists, while Tyson Dunn added 20 points, knocking down 6 of 12 threes. Dunn also contributed 9 rebounds and 8 assists. The Broncos hit 11 of 19 free throws, shooting 57.9% from the line, and grabbed 8 offensive rebounds.

Broncos Team Defense

Western Michigan's defense gave up 85 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 44% from the field. The Broncos struggled to contain two-point shots, with their opponent hitting 55% of their attempts, going 25/45.

From beyond the arc, Western Michigan held their opponent to 22% shooting, as they made just 5 of 22 three-point attempts. The Broncos sent their opponent to the line 19 times, where they converted 11 free throws, shooting 57%. Western Michigan allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Huskies vs Broncos Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Northern Illinois has a straight up record of 0-5 in their last five road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-4. The team averaged 63 points per game in these games.
Through their last ten home contests, the Broncos offense has averaged 67 points per game while allowing an average of 79. Western Michigan posted an overall record of 2-8 while going 6-4 ATS.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Huskies have gone 2-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-5.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Western Michigan has an ATS mark of 2-8 while going 2-8 straight up.