On Wednesday evening, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (12-22) and the Montana State Bobcats (24-9) square off in the 2023 Big Sky Tournament Championship. The Bobcats are rolling into this contest red-hot, winners of seven straight games. On Tuesday, Montana State beat Weber State 60-58 in double overtime. The Lumberjacks are rolling and have won three games in a row. On Mar. 7, Northern Arizona outlasted Montana 83-71.
Tip-off from Idaho Central Arena in Idaho is set for 11:30 p.m. ET. The Bobcats are 7.5-point favorites in the latest Northern Arizona vs. Montana State, odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 135.5. Before locking in any Montana State vs. Northern Arizona picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer 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 Arizona vs. Montana State and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Montana State vs. Northern Arizona:
- Northern Arizona vs. Montana State spread: Bobcats -7.5
- Northern Arizona vs. Montana State over/under: 135.5 points
- Northern Arizona vs. Montana State money line: Bobcats -345, Lumberjacks +270
- NAU: Lumberjacks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall
- MTST: Bobcats are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Wednesday games
- Northern Arizona vs. Montana State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Northern Arizona can cover
Junior guard Jalen Cone is a smooth shooting three-level scorer who owns a reliable jumper and solid range. Cone excels at scoring on the move and can create space with ease. The North Carolina native leads the team in scoring (17.7) with 2.5 assists per game and shoots 40% from beyond the arc. On Tuesday against Montana, Cone finished with 28 points and went 6-of-10 from downtown.
Senior guard Xavier Fuller provides the Lumberjacks with another ball handler in the backcourt. Fuller is able to get clean looks at the rim and set up his own shot. The Arizona native averages 13 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest. He's finished with at least 14 points in five straight games. On Mar. 5 against Eastern Washington, Fuller totaled 16 points and nine rebounds.
Why Montana State can cover
Junior guard RaeQuan Battle has been an athletic, downhill scorer. Battle uses his quickness and speed to penetrate the lane consistently. The Washington native is seventh in the Big Sky in scoring (17.7) with 2.9 rebounds per contest. Battle notched 20-plus points in two of his last four outings. On Mar. 5 against Northern Colorado, he logged 21 points and three blocks.
Senior forward Jubrile Belo is a powerful and bruising option in the low post. Belo bullies opposing players in the paint to snag boards and score points in the paint. The England native logs 13 points and 6.2 boards per contest. Belo tallied six double-doubles on the season. In the Feb. 25 win over Portland State, he racked up 21 points and 11 rebounds.
How to make Montana State vs. Northern Arizona picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 143 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Northern Arizona vs. Montana State? And which side of the spread hits well over 50% 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.
