BigSky foes will clash when the Idaho State Bengals (10-12, 5-6 BigSky) meet the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (8-16, 3-9 BigSky) at Holt Arena. Idaho State opened as a 1-point favorite, while the games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 154 points. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 10, 2018.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs. Idaho State Bengals Free Preview
The last time the Fighting Hawks played, they were beaten by the Weber State Wildcats, 84-76. With 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting, Dale Jones was North Dakota’s leading scorer. Weber State did an excellent job of making free throws (19-25; 76.0 percent). North Dakota, meanwhile, had a better turnover percentage (13.9 vs. 15.6).
The Bengals are trying to rebound after their 85-82 loss to the Northern Colorado Bears in their last contest. Brandon Boyd was the top scorer from either team with 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting. Northern Colorado had a much better turnover percentage (12.6 vs. 17.6). Idaho State, meanwhile, did a great job of getting and making free throws (26-35; 74.3 percent).
The elite offense of Idaho State (85th in the nation with an effective field goal percentage 0.536) will go head-to-head against the mid-tier defense of North Dakota (332nd in effective field goal percentage allowed 0.558). The Bengals should have the edge on that end of the court.
These two teams are complete opposites in terms of the O/U total. North Dakota games have finished over 66.7 percent of the time, while games including Idaho State have gone under 55.6 percent of the time. Looking at straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records, the Bengals have a sizable advantage. They are 10-12 SU and 10-7-1 ATS, while the Fighting Hawks are 8-16 SU and 9-12 ATS.
These teams have already met once this season. The two teams combined to put up 139 points in that game, which was under the projected point total of 148. The Fighting Hawks won 81-58, covering as 3-point favorites. The Fighting Hawks played a nearly flawless game. They had a turnover percentage of 12.0 and an extraordinary effective field goal percentage of 0.607. The Bengals put up marks of 22.9 and 0.480, respectively, for those same stats. Cortez Seales was the games leading scorer with 14 points.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs. Idaho State Bengals Prediction
Free College Basketball Pick: SU Winner – North Dakota, ATS Winner – North Dakota, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Fighting Hawks rank seventh in blocks allowed per game (2.2) while the Bengals rank 61st (2.9).
- On the road, North Dakota is 6-8 ATS with 12 overs and 2 unders.
- At home, Idaho State is 6-2 ATS with 4 overs and 4 unders.
- Idaho State ranks 33rd in assists allowed per game (11.3) while North Dakota ranks 165th (13.9).
- The Bengals rank 139th in rebounds allowed per game (34.5) while the Fighting Hawks rank 253rd (38.2).
- North Dakota ranks 36th in steals per game (7.5) while Idaho State ranks 130th (6.0).
Betting Trends:
- Idaho State is 3-2 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, North Dakota is 2-3 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders.
- The Bengals average margin of defeat in their last five games has been 1.2, down from 1.2 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Fighting Hawks have scored an average of 72.0 points per game (3.6 below their season average) and allowed an average of 84.2 points per game (1.5 above their season average).
