Boise State vs. Northwestern Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
After enduring five straight losing campaigns, the Wildcats enjoyed a resurgence this season, racking up a 21-11 overall record and capturing second place in the Big Ten standings, earning them the No. 7 seed in the West. The Broncos make a second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament after claiming second place in the Mountain West Conference and compiling a 24-9 overall record, but have work to do to halt a late-season slide that has resulted in defeats in three of their past five outings.
The Wildcats have emerged as slender 1.5-point favourites in Thursday evening’s contest. The Broncos are listed as +112 moneyline underdogs, and the total is pegged at just 128.
Boise State vs. Northwestern NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
Thursday night’s matchup at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento marks the first ever meeting between these two teams.
The Broncos return to the Big Dance for a second straight year still searching for their first ever NCA Tournament win. They were outclassed in a 64-53 loss to Memphis as a No. 8 seed last year, and have averaged just 60 points per game in four March Madness losses since 2008.
The Wildcats will be making just their second appearance at the NCAA tournament when they hit the hardwood on Thursday night. Northwestern eked out a narrow 68-66 win over Vanderbilt in First Round action in their tournament debut six years ago, and gave Gonzaga a good fight before falling 79-73 to the eventual runners up two days later.
Boise State Broncos (10)
The Broncos positioned themselves for a run at the top of the MWC standings during an impressive 12-2 run in conference play. However, they failed to close the deal, suffering late-season losses to Utah State and San Jose State that would force them to share second place with the Aggies. A lack of offensive production down the stretch remains a concern, with the Broncos scoring fewer than 70 points in three of their final five contests. While this team is noted for its defence, which has earned them 14th spot in adjusted defensive efficiency at Kenpom, they need to find an offensive spark against the stingy Wildcats. Senior guard Marcus Shaver Jr. has been dominant under the bucket while averaging 7.5 rebounds over his past four outings. Leading scorer Tyson Degenhart has also remained consistent, averaging 14.8 points and 5.3 boards over his past nine appearances.
Northwestern Wildcats (7)
If the Wildcats are to extend the success they have had at March Madness, they must find a way to snap their current three-game outright losing streak when pegged as betting chalk. Indeed, this club wilted during their neck-and-neck battle with Purdue for the top of the Big Ten standings with losses in three of their final four scheduled games, including disappointing road losses to Illinois and Maryland. While the Wildcats have struggled offensively, leading scorer Boo Buie has continued to produce. After from a dismal 1-for-9 shooting performance in last month’s loss to Maryland, Buie has carried the attack, averaging 20.5 in his 17 most recent contests.
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