Georgia Southern (0-0) vs Northern Illinois (0-0)
Game Info: Monday, November 4, 2024 at 7:00 pm (Hanner Fieldhouse)
Betting Odds: Georgia Southern -8.5 / Northern Illinois +8.5 -- Over/Under: 147.5
The Northern Illinois vs Georgia Southern
Game Preview!
It's that time of the year again - College Basketball season is finally here! We are super pumped over here at The Outlet Sports Ventures. This is our favorite time of year because we have some seriously awesome experts when it comes to College Basketball. Our team members have a ton of experience both on and off the court, and some have even won top Bracketology Tournaments! So rest assured, you're in good hands this College Hoops season! Today, we've got a prediction for the Northern Illinois vs Georgia Southern game happening on Monday, November 4th at Hanner Fieldhouse in Statesboro, Georgia. Let's dive into our prediction for this College Basketball showdown in the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Matchup/League Facts
Georgia Southern ranked 26th among Division 1 teams for three-point field goal attempts per game last season (26.6).
Georgia Southern ranked 28th among Division 1 teams for three-point field goals made per game last season (9.4).
Northern Illinois ranked 23rd among Division 1 teams for blocks per game last season (4.9).
Northern Illinois Huskies Team Preview!
So, last season the Northern Illinois Huskies didn't have the best run, ending up with an 11-20 record and a 5-13 standing in the MAC, which put them at 11th place. They were putting up an average of 73.2 points per game, but their defense was struggling, allowing 77.4 points against them each game. The new season kicked off with a tough loss of 92-70 against Marquette, but they bounced back in the second game, beating App State 91-78. Things got pretty rough for them from December to January, losing 10 games in a row, but they managed to pick themselves up towards the end, finishing with a 5-6 record in their last 11 games of the regular season.
Northern Illinois pretty much lost all their main players from last season. Like, their top seven scorers are all gone from the 23-24 season. The Huskies are gonna have a bunch of new players this season, so I think it's gonna be a while before they find their groove and get their lineup rolling and meshing!
Georgia Southern Eagles Team Preview!
So, last year the Georgia Southern Eagles didn't have the best record, going 9-24 overall and 8-10 in the Sun Belt, where they landed in seventh place. They were scoring an average of 73.3 points per game but allowing 79.2 points against them each game. Things didn't start off too hot for them, losing their first 12 games, with a tough 84-62 defeat to Georgia Tech in their opener. During conference play, they had another rough patch, dropping six games in a row, including a close 82-81 overtime loss to Buffalo in the MAC-SBC challenge. But hey, they did manage to pull it together towards the end, winning four of their last five regular season games, only to fall in overtime to App State in the tournament.
Georgia Southern lost their top scorer from last season - Tyren Moore, who was putting up 17 points per game - but he's not with the team anymore. On the bright side, they've got Eren Banks back, who was scoring an average of 10.2 points per game, and Eugene Brown III, who was at 9.3 points per game. The Eagles will have to figure out a way to make up for Moore's scoring, but they're not in a terrible spot with the players they have returning, especially when you look at other smaller schools.
The Northern Illinois vs Georgia Southern
Game Prediction!
The Pick: Georgia Southern -8.5
Why Georgia Southern will beat Northern Illinois
Georgia Southern has won seven of its last eight night games at Hanner Fieldhouse against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Northern Illinois has lost six of its last seven games against non-Conference opponents.
Northern Illinois has lost the first half in nine of its last 12 road night games against non-Conference opponents.
These two teams are kicking off the season with the MAC-SBC Challenge, which will be a cool way to see where they stand since they seem to be pretty evenly matched. Georgia Southern has more players coming back than NIU, so they might have the upper hand in offense. Both teams weren't top-notch in defense last season, but I'm leaning towards Georgia Southern and their returning players. Go for the Eagles when they're playing at home!
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