Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Big Sky Tournament Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Saturday, March 4, 2023

The No. 8 seed Northern Colorado Bears (11-19, 6-12 Big Sky) are 3-point favorites in the Big Sky Tournament against the No. 7 seed Portland State Vikings (12-18, 6-11 Big Sky) on Saturday at Idaho Central Arena. The game tips at 10:00 PM and airs on ESPN+, with both teams hoping to move one step closer to an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament bracket. The over/under is set at 160.5 for the matchup.

Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Odds

• Northern Colorado odds to win: -153
• Portland State odds to win: +131
• Spread: Northern Colorado (-3)
• Total: 160.5

Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• Date: Saturday, March 4, 2023
• Time: 10:00 PM ET
• TV: ESPN+
• Where: Boise, Idaho
• Venue: Idaho Central Arena

Who Will Win Northern Colorado vs. Portland State?

Northern Colorado and Portland State Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

Northern Colorado has a 5-3 record against the spread this season when favored by 3 points or more.

Portland State is 6-9 against the spread when an underdog by 3 points or more this season.

The Bears and the Vikings combine to average 11.1 fewer points per game than the over/under of 160.5 set for this matchup.

Opponents of these two teams have averaged a combined 152.4 points per game, 8.1 fewer than the over/under in this game.

The average total Northern Colorado has had set in matchups this year is 10.0 fewer points than this outing’s point total.

The average point total for the Vikings this year is 9.2 points fewer than this game’s over/under.

The Bears’ ATS record is 12-17-0 this season.

The Vikings’ ATS record is 10-17-1 this year.

Northern Colorado Stats & Insights

Northern Colorado has a -118 scoring differential, falling short by 3.9 points per game. It is putting up 73.3 points per game to rank 138th in college basketball and is giving up 77.2 per contest to rank 344th in college basketball.

Northern Colorado loses the rebound battle by 2.4 boards on average. it collects 29.9 rebounds per game, which ranks 283rd in college basketball, while its opponents pull down 32.3 per contest.

The Bears make 8.4 three-pointers per game (70th in college basketball) at a 35.7% rate (97th in college basketball), compared to the 6.6 per game their opponents make at a 32.8% rate.

Northern Colorado ranks 133rd in college basketball with 95.6 points scored per 100 possessions, and 355th in college basketball defensively with 100.7 points conceded per 100 possessions.

The Bears are posting 75.1 points per game this year at home, which is 4.7 more points than they’re averaging in road games (70.4).

Portland State Stats & Insights

Portland State scores 76.1 points per game (76th in college basketball) and gives up 75.2 (318th in college basketball) for a +27 scoring differential overall.

Portland State comes up short in the rebound battle by an average of 3.6 boards. It collects 28.1 rebounds per game (342nd in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 31.7.

Portland State knocks down 7.5 three-pointers per game (175th in college basketball) at a 34.0% rate (191st in college basketball), compared to the 6.5 its opponents make, shooting 35.6% from beyond the arc.

Portland State scores 96.1 points per 100 possessions (117th in college basketball), while allowing 94.9 points per 100 possessions (279th in college basketball).

The Vikings score 77.7 points per game at home, and 74.4 away.

Northern Colorado Key Players to Watch

The Bears leader in points and rebounds is Dalton Knecht, who scores 20.1 points and pulls down 7.2 rebounds per game.

Matt Johnson leads Northern Colorado in assists, averaging 3.5 per game while also scoring 12.1 points per contest.

Knecht makes more threes per game than any other member of the Bears, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.5 per contest.

Johnson and Knecht lead Northern Colorado on the defensive end, with Johnson leading the team in steals averaging 0.9 per game and Knecht in blocks averaging 0.5 per contest.

Portland State Key Players to Watch

The Vikings’ Cameron Parker averages enough points (18.0 per game) and assists (6.1 per game) to sit atop the squad’s leaderboards.

Hunter Woods is at the top of the Portland State rebounding leaderboard with 5.0 rebounds per game. He also notches 9.9 points and adds 1.2 assists per game.

Jorell Saterfield is the most prolific from deep for the Vikings, hitting 2.1 threes per game.

Portland State’s leader in steals is Woods (1.5 per game), and its leader in blocks is Jacob Eyman (0.8 per game).

Northern Colorado vs. Portland State Prediction

• Pick ATS:

  Portland State (+3)
  

• Pick OU:

  Under (160.5)
  

• Prediction:
  Northern Colorado 76, Portland State 75

How to Bet on Northern Colorado vs. Portland State

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