Halftime Report

The last time Northwestern and Chicago State met, the game was decided by 31 points, but it sure doesn't look like the final score will be so lopsided this time. Sitting on a score of 38-37, Northwestern has looked like the better team, but there's still one more half to play.

Northwestern entered the contest having won three straight and they're just one half away from another. Will they make it four, or will Chicago State step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.

Who's Playing

Chicago State Cougars @ Northwestern Wildcats

Current Records: Chicago State 3-9, Northwestern 7-1

How To Watch

What to Know

Northwestern will be playing the full four quarters on Wednesday, but they're expected to have things wrapped up well before that. They will play host again and welcome the Chicago State Cougars, where tip off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Northwestern knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past three contests -- so hopefully Chicago State likes a good challenge.

Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to rack up 20 more assists than your opponent, a fact Northwestern proved on Sunday. They took their contest at home with ease, bagging a 91-59 victory over the Titans. With that win, Northwestern brought their scoring average up to 75.9 points per game.

Northwestern got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Nick Martinelli out in front who scored 22 points along with six rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Martinelli has scored all season. Ryan Langborg was another key contributor, scoring 19 points along with four steals.

Meanwhile, things could have been worse for the Cougars, but they could have been a whole lot better as they took a 66-50 loss to the Tommies on Sunday.

The Wildcats' win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-1. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 79.7 points per game. As for the Cougars, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-9 record this season.

This contest is shaping up to be a blowout: Northwestern just can't miss this season, having made 47.4% of their shots per game. It's a different story for Chicago State, though, as they've only made 40.2% of their shots per game this season. Given Northwestern's sizeable advantage in that area, Chicago State will need to find a way to close that gap.

Everything came up roses for Northwestern against Chicago State in their previous matchup back in November of 2022 as the squad secured a 85-54 win. Will Northwestern repeat their success, or does Chicago State have a better game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.

Odds

Northwestern is a big 24-point favorite against Chicago State, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Wildcats as a 24.5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 133.5 points.

See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Northwestern has won all of the games they've played against Chicago State in the last 8 years.

  • Nov 07, 2022 - Northwestern 85 vs. Chicago State 54
  • Dec 05, 2020 - Northwestern 111 vs. Chicago State 66
  • Dec 17, 2018 - Northwestern 88 vs. Chicago State 46
  • Dec 11, 2017 - Northwestern 96 vs. Chicago State 31
  • Dec 14, 2016 - Northwestern 68 vs. Chicago State 64
  • Dec 13, 2015 - Northwestern 77 vs. Chicago State 35