Northern Illinois vs Ball State Prediction, Picks & Odds | 24 Jan 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Northern Illinois vs Ball State

The Northern Illinois Huskies square off against the Ball State, with tip-off scheduled for 14:00 on Saturday, January 24.

We are predicting that Ball State will cover the spread. -5.5 seems a more than generous line and you can get -118 that the favorites will win by a bigger margin against Northern Illinois.

Northern Illinois Huskies suffered a defeat in their previous game. A 80-77 scoreline occurred on the road against Ohio Bobcats.

Ball State won their last game 68-67. This was a road victory against Central Michigan Chippewas.

Head-to-Head Statistics

It was Ball State who came out on top when they last played NIU. A 89-83 (OT) win was recorded. The past 10 clashes between these teams have seen eight Ball State wins.

NCAAB	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Ball State	12-19	2093	2154	-61	8-7	4-12	4W
Northern Illinois	9-21	2086	2334	-248	6-7	3-14	5L

View Full Standings

Northern Illinois vs Ball State Prediction & Picks

Gear up for Northern Illinois vs Ball State with our betting guide, featuring an expert match prediction, scoreline advice and a hand-picked bet builder. Explore each section below for detailed insights.

Game Prediction

Our best wager is that Ball State are going to cover a generous -5.5 on the spread. You can get -118 that there’s a bigger margin of victory in this college contest.

We use the latest team news and injury updates to help shape the best possible basketball predictions. You’ll also notice we take a stats-led approach by factoring in the key college hoops numbers that truly make a difference.

Key Northern Illinois vs Ball State stats:

• The +5.5 line hasn’t been covered by NIU in 7 of their last 10 games on the road.
• The +5.5 line hasn’t been covered by NIU in 13 of their last 20 games on the road.
• The -5.5 line has been covered by Ball State in 8 of their last 10 games against NIU.

Ball State -5.5 Probability

According to the latest betting odds, our pick has a 54.1% chance of winning. Based on our in-depth research, we calculate the actual probability to be closer to 60%. The bet can be recommended for this precise reason.

It’s possible to move the line for your selection and this allows bettors to get increasingly bigger odds. If you’re looking for more juice, then this option could tick the boxes.

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Our Game Prediction

Ball State -5.5 @ -118 Bet Now

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Disclosure: This preview contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. T&Cs apply. We only recommend licensed and regulated operators. See our Editorial Policy. Pick odds and lines reflect the price available at the time of publication (Jan 23, 22:57). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Correct Score Prediction

Northern Illinois 69 - 77 Ball State

There are stacks of correct score lines on offer and we’re looking at Ball State to achieve a winning scoreline of 77-69 where a huge potential return is on the cards.

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Northern Illinois vs Ball State Odds

The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.

Ball State have the shortest price to win this college game, with the sportsbooks giving them a 74% probability due to their -278 Moneyline betting odds. Northern Illinois are trading at bigger odds than their opponents and they can be backed at +220.

The spread currently stands at 5.5 and the total points line is 142.5. The advantage of the Totals is that you only have to choose from one of two options. The Over 142.5 selection is available to back at -106.

Consider every angle when placing your college basketball wagers. The best sportsbooks have a huge selection of game lines and team props and it’s all about finding a bet which matches your prediction of the game.

Moneyline

NIU

+220

Ball State

-278

Point Spread

NIU +5.5

-104

Ball State -5.5

-118

Total Points

Under 142.5

-114

Over 142.5

-106

Should you be more interested in a specific individual who is competing, check out the gambling sites’ prop bets where you can pick out player lines that focus on performance rather than the game result.

It’s good to consider all wagering options when it comes to college basketball and micro betting can be an exciting way to get involved in the action. When everything goes in-game, consider whether the next shot will be a Two or a Three-pointer.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Northern Illinois Stats

Ball State Stats

Moneyline

• 3 wins and 7 defeats in the last 10 games
• 1 win and 9 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 3 wins and 7 defeats in the last 10 games
• 5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• +5.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 5 of the last 10 games
• +5.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 3 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• -5.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 1 of the last 10 games
• -5.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in 4 of the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 149.10 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 146.00 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 142.5: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games
• Over 142.5 on the Road: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 72.70 pts and allowed 76.40 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 66.60 pts and allowed 79.40 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 143.00 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 141.50 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 142.5: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 games
• Over 142.5 at Home: Covered in 3 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 71.40 pts and allowed 71.60 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 74.60 pts and allowed 66.90 pts in the last 10 home games

NCAAB Table Select Season 2025/20262024/20252023/20242022/20232021/20222020/20212019/2020

Mid-American	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Miami (OH)	31-1	2901	2409	492	17-1	14-0	1L
Akron	29-5	3004	2499	505	19-2	10-3	10W
Kent State	23-9	2697	2560	137	16-3	7-6	1L
Bowling Green	18-14	2602	2290	312	12-7	6-7	1L
Toledo	19-15	2754	2603	151	13-4	6-11	1L
Buffalo	17-15	2497	2437	60	8-8	9-7	2L
UMass	17-16	2648	2562	86	11-6	6-10	1L
Ohio	15-17	2492	2515	-23	11-8	4-9	4L
Ball State	12-19	2093	2154	-61	8-7	4-12	4W
Central Michigan	10-21	2275	2384	-109	8-5	2-16	2L
Western Michigan	10-21	2318	2464	-146	7-8	3-13	3L
Eastern Michigan	9-21	2105	2231	-126	6-7	3-14	4L
Northern Illinois	9-21	2086	2334	-248	6-7	3-14	5L

• Overall = Overall Wins-Losses
• PF = Total Points For
• PA = Total Points Against
• N. Pts = Point Differential
• Home = Home Record
• Away = Away Record
• Strk = Current Streak

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