Northern Illinois vs Kent State Prediction, Picks & Odds | 03 Jan 2026

College Basketball Betting Preview: Northern Illinois vs Kent State

The Northern Illinois Huskies square off against the Kent State Golden Flashes, with tip-off scheduled for 13:00 on Saturday, January 3.

There’s everything to like about the -16.5 line that Kent State have to cover against Northern Illinois. Take the -115 and feel confident that the favorites get the job done.

Northern Illinois Huskies lost their previous game, being beaten at home to Buffalo Bulls 81-67.

Kent State Golden Flashes were defeated in their last game. On the road, they suffered a 101-60 reverse against Purdue Boilmakers.

Head-to-Head Statistics

It was a 68-50 win for Kent State when they last played NIU. Kent State have beaten NIU in the past four meetings. They’ve also claimed 6 victories in the past 10 head-to-head matchups.

NCAAB	Overall	PF	PA	N. Pts	Home	Away	Strk
Kent State	23-9	2697	2560	137	16-3	7-6	1L
Northern Illinois	9-21	2086	2334	-248	6-7	3-14	5L

View Full Standings

Northern Illinois vs Kent State Prediction & Picks

Our Northern Illinois vs Kent State betting tips provide expert coverage of all major angles, including our main match prediction, correct score recommendation and best bet builder insights.

Game Prediction

Let’s go for the big favorites at a generous -16.5 on the spread. We like this pick and are able to get -115 that Kent State win this college showdown by a sizeable margin.

Tracking injury updates is a big part of our college hoops analysis and team news plays a major role in shaping our basketball picks. We combine this with recent form and the most important stats to get a complete picture.

Key Northern Illinois vs Kent State stats:

• The -16.5 line has been covered by Kent State in 2 consecutive games against NIU.

Kent State -16.5 Probability

According to the best betting apps, our pick has a 53.5% chance of delivering a return. Based on our analysts research, we calculate the actual probability to be closer to 60%. This is why we regard this as a value wager.

Buying and selling points with a sportsbook gives you the chance to choose different lines. The former will mean shorter odds, while a sell leads to a bigger potential return.

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Our Game Prediction

Kent State -16.5 @ -115 Bet Now

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Correct Score Prediction

Northern Illinois 65 - 86 Kent State

Rather than betting on Kent State to win, there’s the option to try your luck when it comes to the correct score lines. Take a chance on a 86-65 triumph in their favor.

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Northern Illinois vs Kent 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.

Kent State are massive -2500 favorites. They are regarded as 96% likely to win this college game judging by the sportsbooks’ latest Moneyline odds. The market suggests that Northern Illinois are least likely to win at +1160.

The spread currently stands at 16.5 and the total points line is 158.5. The advantage of the Totals is that you only have to choose from one of two options. There’s the chance to back Under 158.5 at -110.

There are plenty of team props and game lines available for college basketball wagering, and we recommend checking out the top sportsbooks to find the bet that aligns with your prediction for the game.

Moneyline

NIU

+1160

Kent State

-2500

Point Spread

NIU +16.5

-105

Kent State -16.5

-115

Total Points

Under 158.5

-110

Over 158.5

-110

The gambling sites will have player props available for each game. Check out the various betting odds and take a view on whether a player’s Total Points, Three-Pointers, Blocks or Steals will hit over or under a certain line.

There are always opportunities to enjoy college basketball micro betting. It’s generally the case that you will find player and team props in-game and bettors can use their insight to wager on outcomes such as if the next shot will be a Two or Three-Pointer.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Northern Illinois Stats

Kent State Stats

Moneyline

• 4 wins and 6 defeats in the last 10 games
• 2 wins and 8 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 8 wins and 2 defeats in the last 10 games
• 9 wins and 1 defeat in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• +16.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 games
• +16.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 5 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• -16.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 2 of the last 10 games
• -16.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in 2 of the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 151.40 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 146.20 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 158.5: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games
• Over 158.5 on the Road: Covered in 3 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 76.00 pts and allowed 75.40 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 66.10 pts and allowed 80.10 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 165.80 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 175.40 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 158.5: Covered in 8 of the previous 10 games
• Over 158.5 at Home: Covered in 8 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 87.40 pts and allowed 78.40 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 94.70 pts and allowed 80.70 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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