The North Dakota Fighting Hawks take on the North Dakota State Bison. Check out our college basketball odds series for our North Dakota North Dakota State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch North Dakota North Dakota State.
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks and North Dakota State Bison are part of the Summit League. That conference is currently being dominated by Oral Roberts, led by elite sharpshooter and scorer Max Abmas. The Golden Eagles are 9-0 in the Summit League, three games ahead of second-place South Dakota State, which is 6-3 in the conference. North Dakota State is one game behind South Dakota State for second place at 5-4. North Dakota State would love to move up to second place in the conference so that it can get an easier path in the upcoming Summit League Tournament in early March. Getting the No. 2 seed (a result of a second-place finish in the standings) would mean North Dakota State could avoid Oral Roberts until the final. Maybe, with an upset, North Dakota State might not even have to play Oral Roberts in the tournament. That would offer the best and most direct path to the NCAA Tournament. That is what North Dakota State is playing for in this game: a chance to have a better path in the conference tournament.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the North Dakota-North Dakota State College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: North Dakota-North Dakota State Odds
North Dakota Fighting Hawks: +8.5 (-115)
North Dakota State Bison: -8.5 (-105)
Over: 138.5 (-110)
Under: 138.5 (-110)
How To Watch North Dakota vs. North Dakota State
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET, 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch North Dakota-North Dakota State LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why North Dakota Could Cover the Spread
The Fighting Hawks have had a tough year, but this is an in-state rivalry game. What are the old cliches? You can point to them about rivalry games being different from more normal and conventional games in a conference (in any sport within collegiate athletics, not just basketball). North Dakota-Denver, North Dakota-Omaha, and North Dakota versus Kansas City just don't mean as much as North Dakota's game against NDSU. The Fighting Hawks are going to empty the fuel tank and go all-in on taking down the Bison. With the spread being a more-than-microscopic 8.5 points, there is a very strong chance North Dakota can keep this game close and thereby cover the spread. Few would expect North Dakota to win outright, but covering the spread is entirely realistic.
Why North Dakota State Could Cover the Spread
This game might be a rivalry, but it also involves a very bad North Dakota team. The Fighting Hawks are just 1-8 in the Summit League through nine conference games this season. They have lost each of their last two games by 12 points apiece, giving up 84 or more points in those two losses.
North Dakota State is not having a great season — being 5-4 in the conference and 8-13 overall is certainly not an impressive profile — but the Bison have lost two straight games at home. That might seem like a reason to pick against North Dakota State, but then ask yourself: Is this team going to lose to a bad North Dakota squad at home and thereby lose three straight home games? This team is not going to lose at home to the worst team in the conference. The Bison wil be supremely motivated to turn things around.
Final North Dakota-North Dakota State Prediction & Pick
You should stay away from this game. It is a rivalry, after all. Maybe think about a live-bet opportunity.
Final North Dakota-North Dakota State Prediction & Pick: North Dakota State -8.5
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