Northern Illinois Huskies vs Kent State Golden Flashes Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Saturday, January 3 2026
It’s a MAC showdown between two conference title hopefuls on Saturday, Jan. 3. Read our Northern Illinois vs Kent State prediction along with our NCAAB picks for the night. Northern Illinois is 5-8 overall and they are 1-1 in conference play. The Huskies are 1-6 when playin on the road this year. Kent State has been successful defending their home court. The Golden Flashes are 7-6 with a 5-2 home court record. Kent State started the season winning nine of their first 10 games. These two teams will meet with tip-off set for 1 P.M. EST.
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Northern Illinois road woes persist
Northern Illinois is 5-8 overall this season. They are 1-1 in MAC play through the earlier portion of the calendar. The Huskies have lost five of their last seven games. The team’s most recent win away was a 74-73 decision against Central Michigan at home. Northern Illinois is 1-6 when playing on the road this season.
In their last game, the Huskies lost 81-67 to Buffalo at home on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Northern Illinois played from behind for a majority of the game. They couldn’t find a flow on offense, which has been consistent this season. The Huskies shot 41% from the field and 22% from behind the arc in the loss. Dylan Ducommun led the team with 19 points on 7-for-19 shooting in the loss.
Ducommun is leading the team with 13.2 points per game. Makhai Valentine is grabbing 5.8 rebounds, while Gianni Cobb is dishing out a team-high 3.9 assists per game.
Northern Illinois is the 322nd ranked team in the nation according to KenPom. They are 276th in offensive rating and 337th in defensive rating.
Northern Illinois is averaging 76.5 points per game, which ranks 261st. They are the 287th ranked shooting team, hitting 43.4% from the field. The Huskies are making 31.8% from behind the 3-point line, which ranks 269th.
On defense, the Huskies are allowing 78.6 points per game, which ranks 229th. They are allowing 48.5% from the field, placing them 349th. Northern Illinois is giving up 33% from behind the 3-point line, which ranks 187th.
Northern Illinois is 5-6 against the spread this season. They are 4-3 against the spread when playing on the road. They are 4-4 against the spread as an underdog. The Huskies are 0-2 against the spread when playing conference foes. The under is 7-4 when Northern Illinois has played this year. The under is 5-2 when they have played on the road.
Kent State playing its best at home this year
Kent State is 10-3 overall this season. The Golden Flashes are 1-0 in MAC play so far. They are also 5-2 when they have played at home. Kent State started the season 9-1, but they have lost two of their last three games. Their last three games have all come on the road as they suffered defeats to Portland and No. 5 Purdue along with a win over conference foe UMass.
In their last game, Kent State lost 101-60 to No. 5 Purdue on Monday, Dec. 29. Purdue went wire-to-wire for an easy over their mid-major opponent. Kent State shot 34% from the field and 26% from behind the arc. The Golden Flashes also turned the ball over 15 times, which did not help. Jahari Williamson and Morgan Safford both scored 10 points each, the only two Kent State players to hit double-figures.
Delrecco Gillespie is leading the team with 18.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Cian Medley is passing for a team-high 6.5 assists per game, too.
According to KenPom, Kent State is the 131st ranked team in the nation. They have the 111th ranked offense and the 185th ranked defense this season.
Kent State is averaging 91.7 points per game, which ranks 33rd in the nation. They are the 61st ranked shooting team, making 48.6% from the field. The Golden Flashes are nailing 37.7% from behind the 3-point line, which ranks 40th.
On defense, Kent State is allowing 81.4 points per game, which ranks 280th. They are allowing 43.2% from the field, placing them 171st. The Golden Flashes are allowing 35.5% from behind the arc, placing them 294th.
Kent State is 6-4-1 against the spread this season. The Golden Flashes are 5-1 against the spread, when they have played at home. Kent State is 5-3-1 against the spread when they have been favored. They are also 2-0 against the spread versus MAC competition. The over is 8-3 when Kent State has played this season. The over is 5-1 when Kent State has played at home. The over is 7-2 when the Golden Flashes have been favored.
Northern Illinois vs Kent State Picks
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Insiders Room | +1,793.00 |
| 2 |  Tony Karpinski | +1,731.00 |
| 3 |  Jesse Schule | +1,599.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,284.00 |
| 5 |  David Delano | +1,232.00 |
Northern Illinois vs Kent State Spread Pick
- Take Kent State (5 units)
Kent State has been a different team at home than on the road. The Golden Flashes have utilized a quick style of play and the offense has moved the ball quickly. The team has also been able to shut down inferior teams with ease. The Golden Flashes are averaging over 90 points per game this season, while they are also shooting over 43% from the field. Getting easy baskets for Kent State will be the goal and it will be accomplished against a Northern Illinois team that is allowing 76 points per game. Kent State’s offense will take it to the Huskies and the visitors will not have the firepower to respond to long sustained runs. Kent State is 5-1 against the spread at home. Northern Illinois is 0-2 against the spread in conference play.
Take Kent State to cover.
Northern Illinois vs Kent State Over/Under Pick
- Take the over (5 units)
Kent State has been successful at home this year because they have been to impose its will utilizing it’s style of play. The Golden Flashes play as one of the fastest teams in the league. They score in transition and take very little time off of the clock. Kent State is the 21st fastest team in the country. They are also averaging government 90 points per game. The team’s defense is also suspect as they are allowing over 80 points per game, too. Northern Illinois plays slower at 196th, but the pace will be quick thanks to Kent State and the Huskies should be able to get some easy baskets against a poor Kent State defense. The over is 5-1 when Kent State has played at home. The over is 7-2 when the Golden Flashes have been favored.
Take the over on Saturday.
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