Norfolk Scope Arena hosts the 2023 MEAC Tournament final on Saturday. The No. 1 seed Howard Bison face the No. 3 seed Norfolk State Spartans in a highly-anticipated matchup. Howard is 2-0 against Norfolk State this season, posting a 21-12 overall record and a 13-3 mark against MEAC foes. Norfolk State is 22-20 overall and 11-5 against conference opponents.
Caesars Sportsbook lists the Spartans as 2-point favorites for this 1 p.m. ET tip. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 144.5 in the latest Norfolk State vs. Howard odds. Before locking in any Howard vs. Norfolk State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters conference tournament week 76-51 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now the model has zeroed in on Norfolk State vs. Howard and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Howard vs. Norfolk State:
- Norfolk State vs. Howard spread: Norfolk State -2
- Norfolk State vs. Howard over/under: 144.5 points
- Norfolk State vs. Howard money line: Norfolk State -130, Howard +110
- NSU: The Spartans are 9-6-1 against the spread in MEAC games
- HOW: The Bison are 11-5 against the spread in MEAC games
- Norfolk State vs. Howard picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Norfolk State can cover
Norfolk State leads the MEAC in offensive efficiency this season, with Joe Bryant Jr. leading the way. The senior guard is averaging 17.7 points per game, and he erupted for 23 points and 10 rebounds in a semifinal win over North Carolina Central. The Spartans are No. 1 in the MEAC in offensive rebound rate and free throw rate, with Norfolk State also leading the conference in 2-point shooting (54%) and free throw shooting (75%). Norfolk State produced 39 free throw attempts on Friday and rode that efficiency to the win.
On defense, the Spartans held North Carolina Central to 35% shooting with more turnovers created (16) than assists allowed (13), and Norfolk State leads the MEAC in 2-point defense and block rate. Howard is outside the top 350 nationally in turnover rate, committing a giveaway on more than 22% of possessions, and the Bison are below-average among MEAC teams in free throw creation rate.
Why Howard can cover
Howard enjoyed a fantastic defensive performance in the semifinal win over Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Bison held Maryland Eastern-Shore to 30% shooting and 3 of 21 from 3-point range, and Howard also forced 15 turnovers while allowing only six assists. For the season, Howard is in the top 50 nationally in turnover creation, forcing a takeaway on 21% of possessions, and the Bison are well above the national average with a 10% steal rate. The Bison rank in the top three of the MEAC in 3-point defense and assists allowed, and Howard is fantastic on offense.
Howard is No. 2 in the MEAC in offensive efficiency and No. 1 in the conference in 3-point shooting (42%) and field goal shooting (48%). The Bison are in the top three in free throw accuracy (73%) and offensive rebound rate (37%), and Howard leads the MEAC in assist percentage and assists per game this season. That two-way effectiveness allows Howard to enter the final with 13 wins in its last 15 games.
How to make Howard vs. Norfolk State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 150 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Norfolk State vs. Howard? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
