The Northern Colorado Bears hope to be lousy hosts on Saturday as the Montana Grizzlies pay a visit to Butler-Hancock Pavilion on the college basketball betting menu.

Northern Colorado battles the Grizzlies, currently sitting with a 9-4 mark (5-5-1 ATS). The OVER/UNDER records, always important for totals bettors, are 5-4 for the Bears and 3-4-1 for the Grizzlies.



View Montana vs Northern Colorado Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
Sportsbooks such as Sportsbook had set the Bears as 3.5-point underdogs on the Sportsbook line for this contest. It may have moved, check for updates.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
This game puts the Bears, most recently No. 149 in the Odds Shark power rankings, up against the Grizzlies, who rate No. 196 in the latest survey. Meanwhile, math and computer-based handicapping simulations run on this game predict a potential 73-64 victory for the Grizzlies.



How They Match Up:
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and Northern Colorado has the nation's No. 179-rated offensive output, at 67.9 PPG. The visiting Grizzlies defense ranks No. 144 allowing on average 64.8 PPG. The Bears FG% has averaged 44.7% so far, less than the Grizzlies marksmen have achieved on the year, 45.5% per game.

Defensively, Montana features the nation's No. 136-rated defense on the road, allowing 68 points per game. Northern Colorado, meanwhile, comes in at No. 12 nationally in scoring at home.

Montana won its last outing, a 77-62 result against North Dakota on January 10. They covered in that game as a 5-point favorite. The Grizzlies got a terrific 27-point effort from Mathias Ward as Montana defeated North Dakota 77-62 on Thursday at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

Last time out for Northern Colorado, they were a 69-66 loser as they battled Montana State at home. They failed to cover in the match as a 7.5-point favorite. Tate Unruh scored 23 points in a futile effort to lead the Bears to a win (they lost 69-66 to Montana State at Butler-Hancock Pavilion on Thursday).


Montana Grizzlies Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Southern Utah are 4-2
After playing North Dakota are 3-0
After a win are 7-3

Northern Colorado Bears Trends:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Portland State are 7-3
After playing Montana State are 3-7
After a loss are 1-9

A few Grizzlies at Bears trends to consider:
Montana is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montana's last 6 games when playing on the road against Northern Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Northern Colorado's last 6 games when playing at home against Montana
Northern Colorado is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Montana
Northern Colorado is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Montana
Northern Colorado is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games


Next up:
Montana home to Southern Utah, Thursday, January 17
Northern Colorado at Portland State, Thursday, January 17