CSU Northridge Matadors vs. Northern Iowa Panthers Picks and Prediction for Thursday, November 6, 2025
Use Code WWWC It’s a continuation of the opening week of the 2025-26 college basketball season, and it brings a non-conference tilt between Big West and the MVC on the hardwood as the CSU Northridge Matadors take on the Northern Iowa Panthers Thursday night in the Hawkeye State, and we have you covered with our Louisiana Tech vs. Nevada prediction. CSU Northridge opened its season with a 99-58 triumph over Nobel in a game that had no line set by the sports books. Northern Iowa finished 2024-25 with a 20-13 mark and fell 73-63 in the first round of the NIT on the road at SMU. This marks the first time that the two programs have met on the hardwood as Division I opponents. Read more about this CSU Northridge vs. Northern Iowa prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!
CSU Northridge Seeking 2-0 Start to Season
CSU Northridge trounced an overmatched Nobel squad to open their season on a positive note. The Matadors look to build off that momentum as they travel on the road for the first time this season. Against Nobel, CSU Northridge used a 15-0 run to break a 2-2 tie and was off and running from there. The Matadors were up 48-22 at the half and led by as many as 50 in the second half as they rolled to the victory. One thing is clear for CSU Northridge: they have to be a little more disciplined after committing 24 fouls, sending the Knights to the line 31 times in the contest. That could burn them as the season wears on.
In the game, the Matadors shot 42.3% from the field, including 11 of 29 from three-point range, and knocked down 22 of 31 free throws in the contest. CSU Northridge dominated the glass by a 60-35 margin, controlled points in the paint 42-20, and rolled to a 26-7 edge in fast break points. Joshua O’Garro led the Matadors with 20 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, and five blocks as one of five players in double figures in the victory. Aleks Szymczyk (15 points, 16 rebounds), Larry Hughes II (13 points, four assists), Mahmoud Fofana (10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals,) and James Evans Jr. (10 points) all scored in double figures in the win. All told, 12 players saw action for the Matadors and 11 scored in the contest.
Panthers Try to Start Season on Positive Note
Northern Iowa finished 20-13 in the 2024-25 campaign and finished third in the MVC with a 14-6 mark in conference play on the year. The Panthers are projected to finish second in the conference behind Illinois State this season. Northern Iowa does return three starters from last season’s team, which is a plus, though replacing Tytan Anderson (15.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Jacob Hutson (11.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg) will be something Ben Jacobson will have to solve. On the plus side, the Panthers do bring back six players who averaged at least five points per game and added a NAIA grad transfer in Tristan Smith, who put up 20.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for Concordia last year.
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Last season, Northern Iowa put up an average of 73.3 points per contest, putting them 196th in the nation in scoring offense. The Panthers collected an average of 33 rebounds per game (301st) and dished out 13.9 assists per contest. Northern Iowa was above average on the defensive end of the floor as they allowed an average of 67.4 points a game this season, putting them 50th in scoring defense. The Panthers knocked down 49.5% of their attempts from the floor last season, which was 16th in the nation. Northern Iowa drained 7.2 three-pointers a night while shooting 36.6% from beyond the arc last season, putting them 48th in the country. The Panthers shot 69.5% at the free-throw line in the 2024-25 season, so they were below average as they finished 270th in the nation in that category. Trey Campbell (11.3 ppg, three apg) is the team’s leading returning scorer.
CSU Northridge vs. Northern Iowa Pick
CSU Northridge vs. Northern Iowa Spread Pick
- Northern Iowa -9.5 (4 units)
CSU Northridge has the advantage of having played a game that counts in the standings already this season. Of course, beating on a non-Division I team only moves the needle so much. The Matadors now have to go on the road, where they were 10-7 last season. Northern Iowa was a stellar 14-3 at home last season with their losses coming to UC Irvine, Drake and Murray State. The Panthers have several key returning pieces in the mix to lean on, especially if RJ Taylor and Leon Bond III are fully recovered from season-ending injuries from the 2024-25 campaign. Look for the Panthers, who shot the ball well last season, to prevail at home here and start the year 1-0.
CSU Northridge vs. Northern Iowa Over/Under Pick
- Under 153 (4 units)
CSU Northridge finished last season 135th in offensive efficiency, 123rd in effective field goal percentage (51.7%), 35th in offensive rebounding percentage (35.2%) and 68th in field goal percentage on the year. The Matadors were 8th in adjusted tempo with 72.5 possessions a night. CSU Northridge finished the year seeing the over post a 16-14-1 mark in their 31 games with a posted total. Northern Iowa is 30th in effective field goal percentage (55.2%), 92nd in turnover percentage (15.9%), 16th in field goal percentage and 48th in three-point shooting. The Panthers are 294th in tempo with 65.4 possessions a night. Northern Iowa saw the under post a 20-11-1 mark in their 32 games with a posted total last year. Look for this game to fall a few points short of the number as the Panthers slow the tempo down to make things tougher for the Matadors.
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