Ohio Bobcats at Northern Illinois Huskies 1/19/21 - NCAAB Picks & Predictions

Northern Illinois will be looking to get back on track when the Huskies host the Ohio Bobcats at the NIU Convocation Center. Northern Illinois has lost six of their last seven and the last time they were in action, they were blown out on the road by Ball State and went to 2-10 on the year. Ohio has won three of their last five but is coming off a home loss to Kent State which dropped the Bobcats to 7-6 on the year.  These two squared off on January 5th with Ohio getting the upper hand and winning 76-73. 

Ohio has been solid offensively averaging 79.8 points per game ranking 52nd in the country in scoring offense. As a team, the Bobcats shooting an impressive 48.5% from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc, both ranking in the top-50 of college basketball.

Junior guard Jason Preston is one of the best players in the MAC this year and is what makes this offense go, he leads the team in scoring with 18.3 points on 58.4% shooting. Preston also dishes out a team-high 7.8 assists per game and is second on the team with 6 rebounds per game. Senior forward Dwight Wilson leads the team with 7.5 rebounds and adds 14.8 points per game. 

Northern Illinois has struggled on the offense averaging just 59.4 points per game ranking 341st in the country in scoring offense. The Huskies are shooting a terrible 39.8% from the field and are teh 313th best three-point shooting team making just 29% of their 16 attempts from beyond the arc. 

Sophomore Tyler Cochran has led the Huskies when he’s out there, but he hasn’t played since January 2nd. In his absences, it’s been a couple of juniors leading the way with guard Trendon Hankerson and Darius Beane. Hankerson leads the way with active players in scoring with 12.3 points and adds 4.4 rebounds. Beane dishing out a team-high 2.5 assists, pulling down 5 rebounds, and adding 10.8 points.

Northern Illinois is allowing 75.1 points per game ranking 279th in the country in scoring defense and opposing teams have shot 47.2% from the field, the 322nd defensive field-goal percentage. The Huskies are 286th in KenPom adjusted defense. Ohio is allowing 74.5 points per game ranking 264th in the country in scoring defense and are 251st in KenPom adjusted defense.