Northern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa, Picks and Prediction, Tuesday, November 18th, 2025
The Northern Illinois Huskies (2-2) and the Northern Iowa Panthers (3-0) will meet in a non-conference battle in the Midwest on Tuesday in this Northern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa prediction. Northern Illinois just blasted a Division III team, taking down Benedictine University 117-62 in a game that had no spread. Northern Illinois is fresh off a home win over Furman, 70-54, covering the 9.5-point spread as favorites. Tipoff is set for 8:00 EST. See below for our Northern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa prediction, and check out all of our winning NCAAB Betting Picks!
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Northern Illinois is Moving
The Northern Illinois Huskies are enjoying their last go-around in the MAC, as they will be leaving for the Horizon League next season. This move does not affect football, as that program will remain in the MAC, creating a split-conference model for the university. Northern Illinois just played an easy game against a D3 team, but went to take on #24 Wisconsin on the road before that game. The Huskies lost by 25 to the Badgers, but were able to cover the 28.5-point spread in the process.
The Huskies are now four games into the season, and do have a Division I win over UL Monroe whom they rolled by 20 as 7.5-point home favorites. Their top scorer so far has been Jao Ituka, as the 6'1 guard is getting 12.0 PPG in his fourth season with four different teams. Ituka's most productive season was his freshman year at Marist where he averaged 15.3 PPG, and has made stops at Wake Forest and Jacksonville State before ending up with Northern Illinois. Two other Huskies are averaging double figures, as 6'5 junior guard Daemar Kelly and 6'3 sophomore guard Makhai Valentine are both scoring 11.5 PPG as perimeter players.
Northern Illinois is ranked 304th out of 365 Division I teams according to KenPom. They are 243rd in offensive efficiency and 336th in defensive efficiency. They play at an average pace, ranking 104th in tempo.
Panthers are Undefeated
The Northern Iowa Panthers have three wins, all of which came on their home floor, and they covered the spread in two of those three contests. The only like they didn't cover was when they defeated South Dakota State 65-58 as 10-point favorites. The Panthers are in the Missouri Valley Conference, and are one of the favorites to win that conference and hopefully make the Big Dance. In their last game, the Panthers scored 18 points from Trey Campbell in the win.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ben Burns | +1,195.00 |
| 2 |  Jackie Mack | +849.00 |
| 3 |  David Hess | +832.00 |
| 4 |  Joe Duffy | +457.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +271.00 |
The Panthers are listed as 20-point favorites in this matchup with Northern Illinois, and part of that is due to the experienced play of their senior point guard, Trey Campbell. He has already started 96 games coming into this season, all of which were spent with Northern Iowa. So far this season, Campbell is getting 12.7 PPG and 4.3 APG. Their top scorer has been athletic forward Leon Bond III, the junior began his career with Virginia, but has now come to Northern Iowa, where he can put up bigger numbers, including his 15.7 PPG. Tristan Smith is another scoring option, the strong 6'6 forward is getting 13.0 PPG.
Northern Iowa is ranked 96th overall according to KenPom. They are 131st in offensive efficiency and 69th in defensive efficiency. They play much slower than Northern Illinois, ranking 343rd in pace of play
Northern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa Picks and Predictions
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,570.00 |
| 2 | Dan Kaiser | +1,223.00 |
| 3 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,000.00 |
| 4 |  Earle Sports Bets | +916.00 |
| 5 | David Hess | +706.00 |
Spread pick for Northern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa
- Northern Illinois +20 (5 units)
This is far too many points for this mid-major matchup in the Midwest. These teams are not widely known as rivals, but both of these small schools will play hard in this regional matchup. Northern Iowa is favored by 20 points, but it is difficult to cover that number when they play at the 343rd ranked tempo in the nation. Northern Iowa could easily control the pace of this game and win by 8-12 points without coming near covering the number. Northern Illinois has three guards scoring in double figures; they will be able to take care of the basketball and keep this game much closer than expected here.
Over/Under Pick for Northern Illinois vs. Northern Iowa
- Under 144.5 (4 units)
Northern Iowa likes to play slow, and is a heavy favorite here. A final score of 70-55 is far more likely than anything near the 90s. Both teams have experienced guards, which helps to limit turnovers and lengthen possessions. Campbell is a four-year starter for Northern Illinois, and Ituka has experience being the point guard for four different college programs. The Panthers have the advantage on the inside, as Bond and Smith are two scoring forwards who will take their time to get an advantage in the middle. Northern Iowa has gone under in all three of their games this season, and Vegas has not caught up to their slow play yet.
Take the under.
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