Northern Colorado at Sacramento State odds, picks and prediction

Analyzing Thursday’s Northern Colorado Bears at Sacramento State Hornets odds and lines, with college basketball expert picks, predictions and best bets in a Big Sky matchup.

The Northern Colorado Bears (12-11, 7-4 Big Sky) visit The Nest Thursday to tangle with the Sacramento State Hornets (6-13, 2-10) in a 10 p.m. ET conference battle. Below, we look at the Northern Colorado vs. Sacramento State odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.

Northern Colorado is coming off a home-and-home sweep of Northern Arizona. The wins snapped a three-game losing skid for the Bears. At 38.0%, UNC is one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the Big Sky Conference. The Bears have been especially hot from distance of late. Over their last seven games, they’ve connected on 41.3% of their treys.

Sacramento State has lost three straight games and seven of its last eight. The Hornets rank 10th in the 11-team Big Sky in scoring. They’ve scored more than 65 points just once in that eight-game stretch. The game before that spell came against these Bears – in Greeley, Colo. – and the Hornets scored 85 in a 14-point win.

See alsoFerris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports

Northern Colorado at Sacramento State odds, spread and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:24 p.m. ET.

  • Money line: Northern Colorado -280 (bet $280 to win $100) | Sacramento State +220 (bet $100 to win $220)
  • Against the spread (ATS): Northern Colorado -5.5 (-120) | Sacramento State +5.5 (-105)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 141.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)

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Northern Colorado at Sacramento State odds, lines, picks and predictions

Prediction

Northern Colorado 70, Sacramento State 65

Money line

PASS.

Against the spread

The O/U play here is way more enticing. There would be a sliver of value on the Hornets if the line climbs above +6.

Over/Under

The Under is 4-0 in the Hornets’ last four home games. Slow-paced Sacramento State has leaned toward Under games when playing the league’s fast teams.

Neither team here hits the offensive glass with much success nor finds its way to a lot of free-throw attempts. Threes account for a big chunk of the Bears’ offense, but they’ve been feeding on some Big Sky foes who are really bad in defending the 3-ball. The Hornets are about average in denying the distance game.

Sacramento State took the first head-to-head meeting this season 85-71 on the road. That O/U line was tabbed at 144 points.

As you see, it went Over by 12 points. Look for this one to swing back the other way – there is solid value on the 141.5 (-107).

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