Illinois State vs. Northern Iowa Odds
| Illinois State Odds | +3.5 |
| Northern Iowa Odds | -3.5 |
| Over/Under | 134.5 |
| Date | Thursday, March 2 |
| Time | 1 p.m. ET |
| Channel | ESPN+ |
The first round of the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament tips off on Thursday with 9-seed Illinois State taking on 8-seed Northern Iowa.
Despite being a conference tournament matchup, an early afternoon game on a weekday between two lower-profile programs isn’t likely to whet the appetites of recreational bettors, but the wiseguys, meanwhile, are all over Illinois State vs. Northern Iowa.
In fact, the latest college basketball odds movement and smart money indicators show that pros are already taking positions on both the Illinois State vs. Northern Iowa spread and over/under.
So, let’s not waste any time and dive right into the two smartest college basketball picks for Thursday’s Illinois State vs. Northern Iowa matinee.
Illinois State vs. Northern Iowa Odds
We’ll start with the spread.
Northern Iowa initially hit the market at -2.5 against Illinois State before sharps pounced on the Panthers at that number, driving this spread up to between -3.5 and -4, depending on the sportsbook.
This half-point difference also emphasizes the importance of shopping for the best line before locking in any bet. For example, just 30 seconds of extra work can grab you a free half-point of value in this specific instance.
But the wiseguys didn’t stop at the Illinois State vs. Northern Iowa spread, either.
Action Labs’ Bet Signals are reporting three separate steam moves on this under, citing three unique instances in which under action from respected bettors forced oddsmakers to adjust by dropping this total from its opener of 137.5 to the latest consensus of 134.5.
And just like the spread, savvy bettors can find even more value by shopping the market and picking off under 135.5, which is available at BetMGM as of the time of writing.
PRO Picks: Northern Iowa -3.5 | Under 135.5
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