The Northern Iowa Panthers went 2-0 SU and 1-0-1 ATS against the Illinois State Redbirds this past season as those two schools hit the hardwood together in the championship game of the MVC Tournament on Sunday.
The fourth-seeded Redbirds pulled off an upset over the top-seeded Wichita State Shockers in the semifinals, winning 65-62 to advance to the title game and get a shot at an automatic NCAA Tournament berth. Second-seeded Northern Iowa beat Loyola Chicago 63-49 in the semifinals.
Illinois State Redbirds vs Northern Iowa Panthers Odds and Stats.
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Northern Iowa Panthers are 29-3 so far on the season, and 18-9-3 ATS vs the number. The Illinois State Redbirds, meanwhile, are 21-11 and 15-15-1 ATS. OVER/UNDER bettors have seen Northern Iowa go 14-12 and the Illinois State Redbirds go 15-10 on betting totals.
The Panthers - Redbirds odds would favor the Panthers if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Northern Iowa is rated No. 13 in the current Odds Shark poll, while Illinois State is at No. 32.
How Illinois State Redbirds vs Northern Iowa Panthers Stats Matchup
Scoring and defensive stats point to some betting edges in this matchup. The game features Northern Iowa's No. 171-ranked scoring average of 65.25 PPG, against a Illinois State Redbirds defense rated No. 62 and allowing 62.34 PPG. The Northern Iowa Panthers FG% has averaged 48.71% to date this season, more than the Illinois State Redbirds shooters have managed so far (43.85% per game).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Redbirds grabbed a 65-62 win over the Shockers on Saturday, behind a 25-point effort from Daishon Knight at Scottrade Center.
Montel James scored 14 points leading the Panthers to a 63-49 victory over Loyola of Chicago at Scottrade Center on Saturday.
