Half-time report
Portland State and N. Arizona showed up to the game, but their offenses certainly didn’t. Sitting at 33-32, Portland State appears to be the better team, but there is still a half to play.
If Portland State continues to play like this, their record will go to 11-7 in no time. On the other hand, Northern Arizona will have to settle for an 11-8 record unless they turn things around (and quickly).
Who’s playing
Portland State Vikings @ N. Arizona Lumberjacks
Current records: Portland State 10-7, Northern Arizona 11-7
How to watch
What you need to know
We have another exciting Big Sky game on the schedule as the Portland State Vikings and N. Arizona Lumberjacks are scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Findlay Toyota Center. The Vikings strut with some offensive power as they have averaged 79.1 points per game this season.
Last Thursday, Portland State didn’t have enough to beat Northern Colorado and lost 72-69.
Meanwhile, there’s no place like home for N. Arizona, which bounced back from a tough road loss Saturday. They beat Sacramento State 77-53 on Thursday. With the Lumberjacks ahead 45-23 at halftime, the contest was already almost over.
N. Arizona worked as a unit and finished the game with 18 assists. They easily outscored their opponents in this department as Sacramento State only posted ten.
Portland State’s loss dropped its record to 10-7. As for N. Arizona, their victory improved their record to 11-7.
A high-performance offense is likely on the agenda, as both teams are among the highest-scoring teams in the league. Portland State has had no problem running up the score this season, averaging 79.1 points per game. However, it’s not like Northern Arizona struggled in this department, as its average was 77.4. With both teams so easily able to rack up points, the only question that remains is who can run up the score.
While only Northern Arizona took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams kept bettors happy by covering the spread. Looking ahead, they should win a close contest, except for the buzzers. They might be worth an early bet since they’ve covered the spread the last four times they’ve played.
Odds
N. Arizona is a 3-point favorite against Portland State, according to the latest college basketball odds.
Oddsmakers had a good idea of the line for this one, as the game opened with the Lumberjacks as 2.5-point favorites.
The over/under is 144 points.
See college basketball picks for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Portland State has won 7 of its last 10 games against N. Arizona.
- February 17, 2024 – Portland State 83 vs. N. Arizona 68
- January 18, 2024 – N. Arizona 84 vs. Portland State 65
- February 11, 2023 – Portland State 88 vs. N. Arizona 87
- January 12, 2023 – Portland State 75 vs. N. Arizona 74
- February 17, 2022 – Portland State 68 vs. N. Arizona 67
- January 29, 2022 – Portland State 97 vs. N. Arizona 76
- March 10, 2021 – N. Arizona 77 vs. Portland State 66
- March 5, 2020 – Portland State 80 vs. N. Arizona 66
- January 25, 2020 – N. Arizona 84 vs. Portland State 82
- February 14, 2019 – Portland State 103 vs. N. Arizona 94
