Big 10 foes will collide when the Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-8, 3-6 Big 10) square off with the Northwestern Wildcats (12-9, 3-5 Big 10) at Williams Arena. The games Over/Under (O/U) opened at 141.5 points with Minnesota set as a 3-point favorite. Action starts at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.
Northwestern Wildcats at Minnesota Golden Gophers Odds Preview
The last time the Wildcats played, they beat the Penn State Nittany Lions, 70-61. Vic Law led Northwestern in scoring with 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The Wildcats had a solid turnover percentage of 9.0 (better than their season average of 15.4) and had an offensive rebounding percentage of 45.7 (above their season average of 28.8).
The Golden Gophers are trying to rebound after their 67-49 loss to the No. 22 Ohio State Buckeyes in their last matchup. Jordan Murphy was Minnesota’s high scorer with 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Ohio State had a turnover percentage of 10.2 (better than their season average of 15.7). Minnesota, meanwhile, had a better free throw rate (0.213 vs. 0.136).
Minnesota figures to have the edge on the defensive side of the ball. The Golden Gophers rank 75th in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.478), while Northwestern is 223rd in effective field goal percentage (0.502).
Of Northwestern’s 18 games with betting action, 11 have finished under the O/U total, while 11 of Minnesota’s 21 games have finished under the O/U total. Looking at straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records, the Golden Gophers have a substantial advantage. They are 14-8 SU and 9-12 ATS, while the Wildcats are 12-9 SU and 7-11 ATS.
These teams have already met once this season. In that game, the two teams combined for 143 points, just under the projected point total of 145. The Wildcats won 83-60, covering as 4-point favorites. The Wildcats offensive rebounding percentage was their biggest strength over the Golden Gophers. Northwestern had a rate of 33.3, while Minnesota posted a mark of 14.6. Bryant McIntosh put up a double-double in the victory with 11 points and 16 assists.
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers ATS Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Northwestern, ATS Winner – Northwestern, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- The Wildcats rank 79th in assists per game (15.1) while the Golden Gophers rank 202nd in assists allowed per game (15.0).
- Northwestern is 2-6 ATS on the road with 4 unders, 3 overs and 1 push.
- Minnesota is 5-7 ATS at home with 6 overs and 6 unders.
- Minnesota ranks 11th in rebounds per game (40.7) while Northwestern ranks 222nd (34.0).
- The Wildcats rank 28th in three pointers allowed per game (18.4) while the Golden Gophers rank 167th (22.6).
- Northwestern averages 4.8 blocks per game, which ranks 35th in the nation. Minnesota ranks 163rd in blocks allowed per game (4.8).
Betting Trends:
- Minnesota is 1-4 ATS with 4 unders and 1 over in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, Northwestern is 2-3 ATS with 4 unders and 1 over.
- The Golden Gophers have been outscored by an average of 15.0 points in their last five games. For the season, Minnesota has defeated opponents by an average of 5.9 points.
- During their last five games, the Wildcats have scored an average of 65.4 points per game (7.4 below their season average) and allowed an average of 67.2 points per game (0.2 above their season average).
