Northern Iowa Panthers vs Washington State Cougars Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Washington State vs Northern Iowa NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Las Vegas.

Washington State vs Northern Iowa Prediction

Betting on today's Cougars and Panthers game? Catch the action at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, NV, as the Panthers hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on FloH. In this non-conference matchup, Washington State is favored by -3.5 against Northern Iowa. The over/under for the game is 149 points.

Washington State vs. Northern Iowa Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Washington State Cougars at Northern Iowa Panthers
Where: Las Vegas at Orleans Arena
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds WASHST -3.5, WASHST -165 | NIOWA +140 O/U 149

Cougars Preview: Can the Cougars Deliver Being Favored on the Road?

Washington State Cougars Recent Game/Games

Washington State dropped to 9-3 on the season after an 89-73 road loss to Washington on Wednesday. The Cougars entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 35-31 at halftime, Washington State allowed 54 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42 of their own. The game’s total points of 162 went over the pre-game line of 149.5.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

Washington State put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 43.1% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc (6/20). Their effective field goal percentage was 48.3%, and they connected on 81% of their free throws (17/21).

DJ Davis and Nate Calmese each scored 21 points, with Davis hitting 3 of 7 threes and Calmese going 2 for 7 from deep. Ethan Price added 16 points, while Mekhi Mason contributed 15 points, shooting 50% from three (3/6).

Cougars Team Defense

Washington State struggled defensively, giving up 89 points on 50% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to connect on 51% of their two-point attempts, with 21 makes on 41 tries.

From beyond the arc, Washington State's defense couldn't contain the three-point shooting, as they allowed 10 threes on 21 attempts, a 47% success rate. Their opponent also went to the line 26 times, hitting 17 free throws.

Panthers Preview: Are the Panthers Ready for a Home Win?

The Panthers improved to 6-4 on the season with a dominant 104-76 win over the Grizzlies on Monday. Playing at home, Northern Iowa entered the game as -10.5 favorites and covered the spread comfortably.

After taking a 48-34 lead into halftime, the Panthers poured in 56 points in the second half while allowing 42. The game’s total points reached 180, surpassing the O/U line of 146.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Northern Iowa's offense was firing on all cylinders, scoring 104 points with a 69% field goal percentage in their last game. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 79.3%, thanks to 74.4% shooting on two-pointers and 57.9% from beyond the arc.

Leon Bond III led the way with 37 points, hitting 4 of 5 threes and shooting 80% overall. Jacob Hutson added 24 points, shooting 73.3%, while Kai Johnson contributed 18 points in just 20 minutes, making 75% of his shots.

Panthers Team Defense

Despite Northern Iowa's defensive struggles, they allowed 76 points on 69% shooting from the field. The Panthers couldn't contain their opponent inside, giving up 74% shooting on two-point attempts, with 29 makes on 39 tries.

From beyond the arc, Northern Iowa's defense allowed 11 threes on 19 attempts, a 57% clip. They also sent their opponent to the line 18 times, where they converted 13 free throws, shooting 72%. The Panthers gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Cougars vs Panthers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Cougars have a straight up record of 6-4 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 68 points per game in this stretch.
Northern Iowa has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 76 points per game while allowing 76. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
The last three games that Northern Iowa was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 0-3 straight up.
Against the spread, the Cougars have put together 1-1-1 in their last three games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 3-0 straight up.