The Northern Kentucky Norse (21-12) and the Cleveland State Vikings (21-12) square off in the 2023 Horizon League championship game on Tuesday evening. The winner of this contest clinches an automatic NCAA Tournament bid. These teams split the season series 1-1, with both games being decided by one point. On Feb. 19, Cleveland State beat Northern Kentucky 64-63.
Tipoff from Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Norse are 3-point favorites in the latest Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 126.5. Before locking in any Cleveland State vs. Northern Kentucky picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters conference tournament week 76-51 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now the model has zeroed in Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Cleveland State vs. Northern Kentucky:
- Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State spread: Norse -3
- Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State over/under: 126.5 points
- Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State money line: Norse -155, Vikings +130
- NKU: Norse are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games overall
- CLEVST: Vikings are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games
- Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Northern Kentucky can cover
Junior forward Tristan Enaruna is an athletic and assertive player on the floor. Enaruna has been aggressively attacking the lane and absorbing contact around the rim. He leads the team in both scoring (15.6) and rebounds (6.7), while shooting 51% from the field. He's scored 20-plus in three straight games. On Mar. 2, Enaruna finished with 23 points, seven boards and three blocks.
Senior guard Deshon Parker is a solid playmaker and facilitator in the backcourt. Parker utilizes his court vision to set up the offense and find his teammates constantly. The Ohio native ranks fourth in the conference in assists (4.1) with 9.7 points and 4.5 rebounds. In his last outing, he totaled nine points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Why Cleveland State can cover
Junior guard Tae Williams is an agile and powerful scorer. Williams likes to put the ball on the deck and heads into the lane constantly. The Illinois native is second on the team in points (11.2) and averages 6.0 rebounds per game. He has finished with a 20-plus point double-double in two of his last four games. On Feb. 25, Williams totaled 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Junior guard Drew Lowder has a reliable jumper as a catch-and-shoot option, making 33% of his attempts from beyond the arc. The Missouri native averages 9.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest. On Feb. 23, Lowder had 12 points, three steals and made two 3-pointers.
How to make Cleveland State vs. Northern Kentucky picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 139 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Northern Kentucky vs. Cleveland State? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
