A five-game home winning streak hangs in the balance for the Wright State Raiders (15-11, 9-4 Hor) when they clash with the Northern Kentucky Norse (20-6, 10-3 Hor) at Ervin J. Nutter Center. Action gets underway at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, February 15, 2019, and can be seen on ESPNU.
Northern Kentucky Norse at Wright State Raiders Betting Odds
Both teams were triumphant in their last game. The Raiders easily got past the Detroit Titans 83-60, while the Norse were victorious over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 79-64.
Northern Kentucky dominated nearly every stat category in the game. They had a ridiculous offensive rebounding percentage of 44.4 (above their season average of 30.9) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.525 (below their season average of 0.561). For those same stats, Oakland was 27.0 and 0.431, respectively. Meanwhile, Wright State dominated nearly every facet of their game. They had a solid free throw rate of 0.262 (above their season average of 0.261) and an effective field goal percentage of 0.549 (above their season average of 0.500). Detroit recorded marks of 0.183 and 0.408, respectively, for those same stats. Malachi Smith played well for Wright State with 14 points and six assists. Drew McDonald played well for Northern Kentucky, putting up 21 points and 13 rebounds.
In their first matchup this year, McDonald led the Norse to a 68-64 win. He recorded a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Northern Kentucky did a fantastic job of converting from the free throw line (16-22; 72.7 percent). Wright State, meanwhile, had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (32.4 vs. 24.1).
The aggressive Wright State offense could be living from the foul line in this matchup. The Raiders rank 96th in the nation with a free throw attempt (FTA) rate of 0.261, while Northern Kentucky ranks 283rd in FTA rate allowed (0.263). Moreover, the sharp-shooting offense of the Norse ranks 16th in effective field goal percentage (0.560), while the Raiders are 64th-worst in the NCAA at effective field goal percentage allowed (0.528).
Northern Kentucky Norse vs. Wright State Raiders Free Pick
Free Pick: SU Winner – Wright State, ATS Winner – Wright State, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- Northern Kentucky ranks 10th in assists per game (17.3) while Wright State ranks 119th (13.8).
- The Raiders allow the 40th-fewest rebounds per game (31.9) while the Norse rank 58th (32.7).
- Northern Kentucky and Wright State rank 49th in steals allows per game (5.5).
- The Norse rank 74th in three pointers attempted per game (24.8) while the Raiders rank 100th in three pointers allowed per game (21.3).
- Northern Kentucky averages 4.0 blocks per game, which ranks 64th in the country. Wright State ranks 82nd in blocks allowed per game (3.1).
Bettings Trends:
- The Norse’s average margin of victory in their last five games has been 10.4, down from 12.2 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Raiders have scored an average of 75.6 points per game (2.3 above their season average) and allowed an average of 67.6 points per game (0.8 below their season average).
