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Norfolk State Spartans @ Illinois State Redbirds

Current Records: Norfolk State 6-3, Illinois State 6-3

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What to Know

The Norfolk State Spartans will head out on the road to face off against the Illinois State Redbirds at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Horton Field House. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Last Friday, the Spartans narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Rams 63-60. The win made it back-to-back wins for Norfolk State.

Jamarii Thomas was the offensive standout of the match as he scored 17 points along with 5 assists and 3 steals.

Meanwhile, Illinois State waltzed into Wednesday's game with two straight wins but they left with three. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 62-59 win over the Norse. Kudos to the oddsmakers for accurately forecasting both the winner and the close margin.

Illinois State's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kendall Lewis, who scored 15 points along with 6 rebounds. Less helpful for Illinois State was Malachi Poindexter's abysmal 0-5 three-point shooting.

The Spartans are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches, which provided a nice bump to their 6-3 record this season. As for the Redbirds, they have yet to lose a match at home this season, leaving them with a 6-3 record.

Norfolk State is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. They might be worth a quick bet since they've covered the spread the last three times they've played.

This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Norfolk State have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Illinois State struggles in that department as they've been even better at 36.8 per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check CBS Sports after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other NCAA Basketball content.

Odds

Illinois State is a solid 5.5-point favorite against Norfolk State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 5.5-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is set at 133 points.

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