The Northern Illinois Huskies (10-11, 3-5 MAC) will attempt to end an eight-game road losing streak when they take on the Central Michigan Chippewas (13-8, 2-6 MAC) at McGuirk Arena. Central Michigan opened as a 5-point favorite, while the games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 146 points. Action starts at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 30, 2018.
Northern Illinois Huskies at Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Preview
In the Huskies last game, they fell to the Western Michigan Broncos, 79-72. Eugene German had a solid performance for Northern Illinois, leading the team in scoring with 21 points on 9-for-19 shooting. Western Michigan did a fantastic job of making free throws (13-17; 76.5 percent). Northern Illinois, meanwhile, had an offensive rebounding percentage of 48.3 (above their season average of 28.4).
The Chippewas are trying to rebound after their 84-76 loss to the Kent State Golden Flashes in their last contest. With 11 points and 11 rebounds, David DiLeo had a good performance for Central Michigan. Kent State did a fantastic job of converting from the free throw line (19-26; 73.1 percent). Central Michigan, on the other hand, had a better turnover percentage (14.1 vs. 17.2).
Central Michigan appears to have the edge on the offensive side of the ball. The Chippewas currently rank 67th in offensive efficiency, while Northern Illinois ranks 255th in defensive efficiency.
Of Northern Illinois 17 games with betting action, nine have finished over the O/U total, while 8 of Central Michigan’s 16 games have finished over the projected point total. Looking at straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records, the Chippewas have a clear advantage. They are 13-8 SU and 10-6 ATS, while the Huskies are 10-11 SU and 8-8-1 ATS.
Shawn Roundtree has taken his game to another level over the last five games for Central Michigan, averaging 17.8 points and 3.8 assists per game.
This is the first time these teams will meet this year. The Huskies won both matchups played against each other last season. In the most recent contest, Northern Illinois won 89-66. The Huskies played a nearly flawless game. They had a solid offensive rebounding percentage of 31.3 and a ridiculous effective field goal percentage of 0.618. The Chippewas recorded marks of 18.4 and 0.425, respectively, for those same stats.
Northern Illinois Huskies at Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Prediction
Free Prediction: SU Winner – Central Michigan, ATS Winner – Central Michigan, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Chippewas average 3.6 blocks per game, which ranks 93rd in the NCAA. The Huskies rank 153rd in blocks allowed per game (4.2).
- Northern Illinois ranks 16th in steals allowed per game (4.8) while Central Michigan ranks 54th (5.5).
- On the road, Northern Illinois is 3-7-1 ATS with 7 overs and 4 unders.
- At home, Central Michigan is 4-3 ATS with 5 unders and 2 overs.
- Central Michigan ranks 16th in three pointers attempted per game (28.1) while Northern Illinois ranks 278th (16.6).
- The Chippewas rank 169th in assists per game (13.1) while the Huskies rank 258th (10.3).
- Central Michigan ranks 79th in rebounds per game (37.5) while Northern Illinois ranks 145th in rebounds allowed per game (35.0).
Betting Trends:
- Central Michigan is 2-3 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, Northern Illinois is 2-2-1 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under.
- The Chippewas have been outscored by an average of 5.0 points in their last five games. For the season, Central Michigan has defeated opponents by an average of 7.6 points.
- During their last five games, the Huskies have scored an average of 74.2 points per game (0.1 below their season average) and allowed an average of 76.8 points per game (3.2 above their season average).
