The Northern Illinois Huskies (5-11, 1-4 MAC) will look to end a four-game losing streak when they host the UMass Minutemen (11-7, 2-4 MAC) on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at NIU Convocation Center as 8.5-point underdogs. The game airs at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The matchup has an over/under set at 157.5 points.
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Bet $20, Payout $39.05
UMass Cover -8.5 vs Northern Illinois -105
UMass vs. Northern Illinois betting lines
- UMass moneyline odds to win: -373
- Northern Illinois moneyline odds to win: +294
- Spread: UMass (-8.5)
- Total: 157.5
UMass statistics, trends and more
As the away team
- UMass covered the spread in a lower percentage of its home games than away games last season. UMass covered six times in 15 games at home, and it covered eight times in 11 games when playing on the road.
- When it came to over/unders, the Minutemen hit the over more consistently in home games last season, as they eclipsed the total eight times in 15 opportunities (53.3%). On the road, they hit the over five times in 11 opportunities (45.5%).
- As a moneyline favorite last year, UMass won a lower percentage of its home games (.500) compared to away games (1.000).
Recent trends
- The Minutemen have seen an increase in scoring recently, racking up 83.0 points per game in their last 10 contests, 2.2 points more than the 80.8 they’ve scored this year.
- UMass has been slightly suspect on the defensive end of the floor of late, allowing 75.8 points per game over its last 10 outings compared to the 74.4 it has conceded this season.
- The Minutemen are trending up from beyond the arc during their last 10 outings, making 7.9 threes per game and shooting 35.7% from long range compared to their season-long averages of 7.6 makes and 34.6% from distance in the 2025-26 season.
UMass betting records this season
- ATS Record: 8-9-0 (Home: 4-5-0; Away: 1-2-0)
- ATS Record When Favored by 8.5+: 2-3-0 (As Favorite: 3-7-0; As Underdog: 5-2-0)
- O-U-P: 11-6-0 (Home: 5-4-0; Away: 3-0-0)
- Record When Moneyline Favorite: 7-3 (Home: 6-1; Away: 1-1)
- Record When Moneyline Underdog: 3-4 (Home: 0-2; Away: 0-1)
| Field Goal % | Opp. Field Goal % | Rebounds | Opp. Rebounds | Assists | Turnovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46.5 (122nd in nation) | 43.9 (190th) | 34.9 (80th) | 28.5 (57th) | 18.1 (24th) | 13.2 (320th) |
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Northern Illinois statistics, trends and more
As the home team
- Against the spread, Northern Illinois has had better results away (5-4-0) than at home (1-4-0).
- Huskies games have finished above the over/under more often at home (two times out of five) than away (two of nine) this season.
- The Huskies’ winning percentage at home as moneyline underdogs is .000 (0-2), and on the road it is .111 (1-8).
Recent trends
- While the Huskies are putting up 74.1 points per game in 2025-26, they have fallen short of that in their past 10 games, producing 70.3 points per contest.
- Northern Illinois is giving up 79.2 points per contest over its last 10 games, compared to its season average of 78.1 points allowed.
- The Huskies are draining 1.1 fewer treys per game over their previous 10 games (7.5) compared to their season average (8.6), and they are posting a lower three-point percentage over their past 10 games (26.9%) compared to their season mark (32.0%).
Northern Illinois betting records this season
- ATS Record: 6-8-0 (Home: 1-4-0; Away: 5-4-0)
- ATS Record When Underdog by 8.5+: 5-2-0 (As Favorite: 1-2-0; As Underdog: 5-6-0)
- O-U-P: 4-10-0 (Home: 2-3-0; Away: 2-7-0)
- Record When Moneyline Favorite: 2-1 (Home: 2-1; Away: 0-0)
- Record When Moneyline Underdog: 1-10 (Home: 0-2; Away: 1-8)
| Field Goal % | Opp. Field Goal % | Rebounds | Opp. Rebounds | Assists | Turnovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.7 (302nd in nation) | 48.2 (344th) | 32.8 (194th) | 29.9 (120th) | 13.4 (236th) | 14.4 (357th) |
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