Halftime Report
Fortunes may be turning around for Montana State after losing three in a row. They have jumped out to a quick 37-28 lead against N. Arizona. Montana State took a big hit to their ego last Saturday, so a win here would be a pleasant pick-me-up.
If Montana State keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 7-9 in no time. On the other hand, N. Arizona will have to make due with a 7-9 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
N. Arizona Lumberjacks @ Montana State Bobcats
Current Records: N. Arizona 7-8, Montana State 6-9
How To Watch
What to Know
Montana State is 10-0 against N. Arizona since March of 2019, and they’ll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. Both teams will face off in a Big Sky battle at 9:00 p.m. ET at Max Worthington Arena. Montana State is limping into the contest on a three-game losing streak.
It’s hard to win when your shooting is a whole 31.7% worse than the opposition, a fact Montana State found out the hard way on Saturday. They were dealt a punishing 89-61 loss at the hands of the Jackrabbits. Montana State was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 49-26.
Meanwhile, N. Arizona’s three-game losing streak finally came to an end on Saturday. They slipped by the Fighting Hawks 74-73. The victory was all the more spectacular given N. Arizona was down 17 points with 3:10 left in the first half.
Among those leading the charge was Diego Campisano, who scored 18 points. As a matter of fact, that’s the most points he has scored all season. Carson Basham was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 13 points and 13 rebounds.
The Bobcats have traveled a rocky road recently, as they’ve lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-9 record this season. As for the Lumberjacks, they pushed their record up to 7-8 with that victory, which was their third straight at home.
Going forward, Montana State is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 3.5 points. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a four-game streak of failing to cover when expected to win.
Montana State was able to grind out a solid victory over N. Arizona in their previous matchup back in March of 2023, winning 85-78. Does Montana State have another victory up their sleeve, or will N. Arizona turn the tables on them? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Montana State is a 3.5-point favorite against N. Arizona, 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 Bobcats as a 2.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 142.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Montana State has won all of the games they’ve played against N. Arizona in the last 5 years.
- Mar 08, 2023 – Montana State 85 vs. N. Arizona 78
- Feb 02, 2023 – Montana State 69 vs. N. Arizona 68
- Jan 07, 2023 – Montana State 69 vs. N. Arizona 54
- Feb 12, 2022 – Montana State 72 vs. N. Arizona 70
- Jan 20, 2022 – Montana State 89 vs. N. Arizona 84
- Jan 23, 2021 – Montana State 58 vs. N. Arizona 53
- Jan 21, 2021 – Montana State 62 vs. N. Arizona 51
- Feb 29, 2020 – Montana State 63 vs. N. Arizona 57
- Dec 30, 2019 – Montana State 63 vs. N. Arizona 61
- Mar 02, 2019 – Montana State 84 vs. N. Arizona 73
