Halftime Report
Kent State is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead N. Illinois 35-21.
If Kent State keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 10-4 in no time. On the other hand, N. Illinois will have to make due with a 4-10 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Kent State Golden Flashes @ N. Illinois Huskies
Current Records: Kent State 9-4, N. Illinois 4-9
How To Watch
What to Know
We’ve got another exciting Mid American matchup on schedule as the Kent State Golden Flashes and the N. Illinois Huskies are set to tip at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Convocation Center. The Huskies have the home-court advantage, but the Golden Flashes are expected to win by 12.5 points.
Kent State will head out to face N. Illinois after giving up their first home loss of the season on Saturday. Kent State took a 75-67 hit to the loss column at the hands of Ball State. The Golden Flashes didn’t live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.
Kent State’s defeat shouldn’t obscure the performances of VonCameron Davis, who had 20 points in addition to three steals, and Jamal Sumlin, who went 5 for 7 en route to 12 points. Sumlin had some trouble finding his footing against Heidelberg last Sunday, so this was a step in the right direction. Less helpful for Kent State was Cian Medley’s abysmal 0-6 three-point shooting.
Meanwhile, N. Illinois was within striking distance but couldn’t close the gap on Saturday as they fell 75-71 to Eastern Michigan. The over/under was set at 146.5 points, so nice work oddsmakers; you were right on the money.
Despite their loss, N. Illinois saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. James Dent Jr., who scored 15 points along with eight rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. Dent Jr. had some trouble finding his footing against Illinois State back in December of 2024, so this was a nice turnaround.
Kent State’s defeat ended a nine-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 9-4. As for N. Illinois, they dropped their record down to 4-9 with the loss, which was their eighth straight on the road.
Everything came up roses for Kent State against N. Illinois in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, as the team secured an 85-47 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Kent State since the squad won’t have the home-court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Odds
Kent State is a big 12.5-point favorite against N. Illinois, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Golden Flashes as a 11.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 136.5 points.
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Series History
Kent State has won 6 out of their last 10 games against N. Illinois.
- Feb 17, 2024 – Kent State 85 vs. N. Illinois 47
- Jan 16, 2024 – Kent State 83 vs. N. Illinois 76
- Mar 09, 2023 – Kent State 76 vs. N. Illinois 57
- Jan 24, 2023 – N. Illinois 86 vs. Kent State 76
- Mar 01, 2022 – Kent State 63 vs. N. Illinois 55
- Jan 11, 2022 – N. Illinois 65 vs. Kent State 63
- Feb 13, 2021 – Kent State 80 vs. N. Illinois 58
- Feb 07, 2020 – N. Illinois 57 vs. Kent State 54
- Jan 21, 2020 – N. Illinois 76 vs. Kent State 69
- Jan 19, 2019 – Kent State 78 vs. N. Illinois 68