The Eastern Michigan Eagles will try to split their season series with the Northern Illinois Huskies on Friday afternoon. Eastern Michigan came up well short in the first meeting between these teams, as the Huskies cruised to an 88-67 win on Jan. 21. This game was originally scheduled for Friday evening, but it was moved to Friday afternoon due to travel and safety concerns.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. The Huskies are favored by 5.5 points in the latest Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 149.5. Before entering any Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 17 of the season 76-46 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,600 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on NIU vs. Eastern Michigan. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Eastern Michigan vs. NIU:
- Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan spread: Northern Illinois -5.5
- Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan over/under: 150 points
- Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan money line: Northern Illinois -225, Eastern Michigan +185
- Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan picks: See picks here
Why Northern Illinois can cover
Northern Illinois had one of its best performances of the season in the first meeting between these teams, racing out to a 50-31 lead at halftime in that road game. The Huskies added 38 points in the second half of an 88-67 final, despite being 3-point underdogs. David Coit scored 24 points and dished out five assists, while Zarique Nutter had 19 points and Darweshi Hunter scored 16.
Coit, a sophomore guard, has taken over as the top scorer (16.0) following Keshawn Williams' season-ending injury in early January. Nutter is also in double figures with 12.2 points per game, scoring at least 12 points in eight of his last nine games. Northern Illinois is 9-4 against the spread in its last 13 games, and it has covered in four of the last five meetings between these teams.
Why Eastern Michigan can cover
Northern Illinois has been struggling down the stretch, losing four of its last five games coming into this matchup. The Huskies gave up 42 first-half points against Buffalo on Tuesday en route to a double-digit loss. Eastern Michigan, meanwhile, has notched wins in two of its last three games, beating Western Michigan and Ball State last week.
The Eagles were 7-point home underdogs in their win over Ball State, but Emoni Bates poured in 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead his team to the upset. Bates, a talented sophomore guard, leads Eastern Michigan with 19.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. The Eagles have been undervalued by the betting market, covering the spread in eight of their last 11 contests.
How to make Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois picks
The model has simulated Northern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois? And which side of the spread is hitting over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is 76-46 on its top-rated college basketball picks this season, and find out.
