The Northern Illinois Huskies (6-12, 2-5 MAC) visit the Ball State Cardinals (6-13, 2-5 MAC) after losing six straight road games. The Cardinals are favored by 5.5 points in the contest, which begins at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The matchup has an over/under of 142.5.
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Bet $20, Payout $36.53
Ball State Cover -5.5 vs Northern Illinois -121
Ball State vs. Northern Illinois betting lines
- Ball State moneyline odds to win: -262
- Northern Illinois moneyline odds to win: +211
- Spread: Ball State (-5.5)
- Total: 142.5
Ball State statistics, trends and more
As the home team
- Ball State has done a better job covering the spread at home (3-3-0) than it has in road tilts (3-6-0).
- Looking at point totals, the Cardinals hit the over less consistently in home games, as they’ve gone over the total one time in six opportunities this season (16.7%). In road games, they have hit the over three times in nine opportunities (33.3%).
- Ball State has won a lower percentage of its games as a moneyline favorite when playing at home, going 1-2 (.333). On the road as a moneyline favorite, it owns a record of 1-1 (.500).
Recent trends
- In their last 10 games, the Cardinals have been scoring 71.4 points per contest, an average that’s slightly higher than the 68.4 they’ve scored over the course of the 2025-26 season.
- Ball State’s defense has been more porous lately, as the team has allowed 71.6 points per game during its last 10 compared to the 70.6 points per game its opponents are averaging this season.
- The Cardinals’ 6.9 made three-pointers per-game average in their past 10 games are less than the 7.1 they average on the season, but those 10 games have seen a higher percentage of three-point shots made, 32.2% compared to their season-long percentage of 31.4% from deep.
Ball State betting records this season
- ATS Record: 7-10-0 (Home: 3-3-0; Away: 3-6-0)
- O-U-P: 6-11-0 (Home: 1-5-0; Away: 3-6-0)
- Record When Moneyline Favorite: 2-3 (Home: 1-2; Away: 1-1)
- Record When Moneyline Underdog: 2-10 (Home: 1-2; Away: 0-7)
| Field Goal % | Opp. Field Goal % | Rebounds | Opp. Rebounds | Assists | Turnovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.2 (316th in nation) | 45.8 (281st) | 27.4 (352nd) | 31.9 (226th) | 12.8 (272nd) | 9.7 (43rd) |
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Northern Illinois statistics, trends and more
As the away team
- This season, Northern Illinois is 2-4-0 at home against the spread (.333 winning percentage). On the road, it is 6-4-0 ATS (.600).
- Huskies games have gone above the over/under more often at home (two times out of six) than on the road (three of 10) this year.
- The Huskies’ winning percentage at home when moneyline underdogs is .333 (1-2), and on the road it is .100 (1-9).
Recent trends
- Over their past 10 games, the Huskies are putting up 72.7 points per contest, 1.4 fewer points than their season average (74.1).
- Northern Illinois is surrendering 76.4 points per contest in its previous 10 games, which is 1.3 fewer points than it is allowing for the season (77.7).
- The Huskies are draining 8.2 threes per game over their past 10 games, which is 0.3 fewer three-pointers than their average for the season (8.5). In addition, they own a lower three-point percentage over their last 10 games (28.8%) compared to their season average from beyond the arc (32.1%).
Northern Illinois betting records this season
- ATS Record: 8-8-0 (Home: 2-4-0; Away: 6-4-0)
- ATS Record When Underdog by 5.5+: 7-6-0 (As Favorite: 1-2-0; As Underdog: 7-6-0)
- O-U-P: 5-11-0 (Home: 2-4-0; Away: 3-7-0)
- Record When Moneyline Favorite: 2-1 (Home: 2-1; Away: 0-0)
- Record When Moneyline Underdog: 2-11 (Home: 1-2; Away: 1-9)
| Field Goal % | Opp. Field Goal % | Rebounds | Opp. Rebounds | Assists | Turnovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.4 (311th in nation) | 47.8 (336th) | 32.3 (204th) | 29.7 (105th) | 13.1 (255th) | 14.5 (358th) |
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