Cal State Northridge (+2) at Cal Poly - 7:00pm Pacific - Game #547-548
The Matadors had their best non-conference season in several years finishing with an 8-3 record including four wins away from home which was huge for a team who had only won nine games away from home in the last two full seasons combined. While struggling at times early on, JC and former NMSU transfer Josh Jenkins has emerged as a difference maker at point guard, starting the last five games. Jenkins averages a conference best 5.8 assists despite having played just over 20 minutes per game. Senior leaders forward Chitwood and wing Heard are two of the more talented players in the conference. Newcomers Mels, Wayne, Townsend, and Tresvant have all plugged in to the rotation nicely. This is a very hungry CSUN program with the entire rotation consisting of upperclassmen. This is a key conference opener for them with a tough game at league favorite UCSB set to follow on Saturday. Cal Poly has not played well in five weeks. They are poorly coached and have had to deal with nagging injury and disciplinary issues. Their lone meaningful win this season came vs Utah State in mid-November in a game that they shot lights out from 3-point range. Most recently they lost at home to a 3-10 Southern Utah squad. CP's offensive stats have been downright awful in recent weeks (36% FG shooting last six games vs D-1 teams) and they are never going to beat anyone with defense. These are two teams going in different directions right now. CSUN has added motivation of being swept by Poly last season. Take the live dog.

Play: Cal State Northridge +2  1.0 UNIT |  WIN 80-59
Idaho State at Northern Colorado (-8.5) - 6:00pm Pacific - Game #573-574
Northern Colorado continues to be a live team. Two games back they were very turnover prone and shot poorly in the first half but still pulled away to beat Sacramento State by 14. Last time out they lost on the road at Northern Arizona, a team who might be the best in the Big Sky, and who presented difficult size mismatches inside. Today the Bears return home where they are a perfect 5-0 and face another very beatable opponent. This team is deep and still improving. Top guard Sean Taibi is back to full strength after missing four games due to injury. Replacing four key seniors has become more difficult than anticipated for Idaho State. They are just 3-10 on the season with just one win over a Division 1 team and even then they needed OT to beat lowly Idaho. Bengal coach O'Brien has been criticized for recent comments in local newspaper that included, "this is a rebuilding year", "we have more role players than players", and "we need to add four key players, probably starters, to be a contender next year". O'Brien may just be calling it how he sees it. The team lacks firepower, experience, and talent in general. They also do not have a true point guard. Northern Colorado is still hungrier than the average team after only winning four games all of last year. Expect another solid performance and win here. Give the points.

Play: Northern Colorado -8.5  0.5 UNIT |  LOSS 65-76
Northern Arizona (-1.5) at Eastern Washington - 7:00pm Pacific - Game #579-580
NAU has established itself as the most consistent program in the Big Sky. They were picked to finish fifth in this year's preseason poll but they are easily a top three team and will contend for the conference title. They enter this game with the best record in the conference (9-5) with four of the losses coming at Utah State, at Arizona, at Kansas, and vs UNLV. The only game they did not fire in all season was an OT home loss to Pepperdine. The Lumberjacks feature arguably the best big man in the conference in senior F/C Kyle Landry and the best point guard in the conference in junior Josh Wilson. Wilson ranks 14th nationally in assists per game and makes NAU easier to back on the road. They have already won three times away from home this season. Last year NAU had more overall talent but this year they have more defined roles, better chemistry, and play better defense. Eastern Washington won two in a row over Portland and Portland State before losing to UCSB last time out. The PSU win was a big surprise but the Vikings shot just 7 for 19 from the FT line and EWU needed to bank in a leaner with five seconds left to win by 1. PSU lost their next game at home to San Jose State. EWU has not improved enough from their awful early season form to compete consistently with the top teams in the league. Expect NAU to get a key conference road win here. Give the small number.

Play: Northern Arizona -1.5  1.0 UNIT  |  WIN 79-75


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