With the couple-day absence of the NCAA Tournament, it is time to shift our focus to the NIT where the top-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys will host the North Texas Mean Green. Join us for our NIT Odds series where our North Texas-Oklahoma State prediction and pick will be revealed.
After completing the regular season with an impressive 25-7 record, it still was not quite good enough to reach the Big Dance after losing to UAB in the conference semifinal, but the Mean Green have certainly looked the part still during the first two rounds of the NIT with victories over Alcorn State and Sam Houston State. Does North Texas have what it takes to extend their season on the road in Stillwater?
Among one of the first four out, Oklahoma State instead had to settle for a top seed in the NIT Tournament as they narrowly missed out on an invite to the Big Dance. Nevertheless, this roster has unquestionably received a stellar amount of experience for future seasons to come with decisive wins over Youngstown State and Eastern Washington. Will the Cowboys' season continue to flourish or will it go up in flames this evening?
Here are the North Texas-Oklahoma State March Madness odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NIT Odds: North Texas-Oklahoma State Odds
North Texas: +3.5 (-105)
Oklahoma State: -3.5 (-115)
Over: 121.5 (-105)
Under: 121.5 (-115)
How To Watch North Texas vs. Oklahoma State
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 7:00 ET/4:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why North Texas Could Cover The Spread
Now within only one win away from a trip to the NIT Semifinals in Las Vegas, there is no doubt that North Texas is playing its best basketball of the season at the moment. Believe it or not, but the Mean Green have reeled off wins in 13 of their 15 most recent outings.
In order to continue down the path of winning, the Mean Green have to keep in mind that it is going to take a repeated shooting effort in all aspects to take care of business as the road team in this one. So far, this formula for success has been a dynamic one, as North Texas is coming off their rout against Sam Houston by shooting lights out with a 52% shooting clip from the floor which included a scorching-hot 55% mark from long-range. As a whole, North Texas tends to live or die by the three-point line, and knocking down some shots early from the perimeter to instill some shooting confidence will almost ultimately guarantee the Mean Green coming way with a covering of the spread.
Another main outlet where North Texas can get the job done in the Sooner State will be in large part thanks to the Oklahoma native himself in 5'11 guard Tylor Perry. Not only is the senior floor general as shifty as they come, but he also leads the team in scoring with 17.1 PPG. Alas, don't be surprised if the reunion home for Perry helps him take his game to the next level resulting in putting the team on his back.
Why Oklahoma State Could Cover The Spread
Even though the Cowboys enter this competition as home favorites, Oklahoma State cannot afford to be complacent in their game plan to dispose of the Mean Green on their home floor. With the winner of this one slated to tip-off versus the winner of Oregon and Wisconsin in the heart of Sin City, establishing the early momentum of this hotly-contested matchup against North Texas during the first half of play will end up being critical in OSU's chances of surviving and advancing.
Not to mention, but this will end up being a game of runs, as Oklahoma State must try to avoid dry spells on the offensive side of the hardwood, especially going up against a North Texas that is clicking on all cylinders with the basketball in their possession. Because of this, being patient in their offensive sets and making it a priority to not rush shots and instead try to receive high-percentage looks will be of utmost importance. Not only will this waste time for the Mean Green's recent high-flying offense to operate, but it will also open up way more open looks for the Cowboys to inflict damage.
All in all, the biggest area of concern is the fact that Oklahoma State hasn't been very reliable when it comes to covering the spread this season. In fact, they are a combined 16-18-1 ATS, and bettors should keep in mind that this is an incredibly streaky team that oftentimes gets cold from both sides of the floor. Nevertheless, the play of Bryce Thompson who is fresh off of a 22-point performance including a 6-11 shooting performance from way downtown should help ease the anxiousness that bettors feel if they plan on siding with the Cowboys to cover in this one.
Final North Texas-Oklahoma State Prediction & Pick
With a 12-5 record at home this season, expect a near sell-out crowd at Gallagher-Iba Arena to electrify the Oklahoma State Cowboys lineup to overcome a feisty North Texas Mean Green bunch.
Final North Texas-Oklahoma State Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma State -3.5 (-115)
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