A berth in the Southland Conference Final is on the line this evening when McNeese State takes on Northwestern State.
The Cowboys ran away with the regular season title, suffering just one conference loss all season. Even with the tournament still in the semifinals, McNeese is a massive -650 favorite to win it all and clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Does Northwestern State have any hope of pulling off the upset tonight? Let's find out what the oddsmakers think,
Northwestern State vs. McNeese Odds, Spread, and Total
Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook
Spread
- Northwestern State +16.5 (-110)
- McNeese -16.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Northwestern State +950
- McNeese -2000
Total
- OVER 131.5 (-105)
- UNDER 131.5 (-115)
Northwestern State vs. McNeese How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, March 11
- Game Time: 7:00 PM EST
- Venue: Legacy Center
- How to Watch (TV): ESPNU/ESPN+
- Northwestern State Record: 16-15 (12-8 Conference)
- McNeese Record: 25-6 (19-1 Conference)
Northwestern State vs. McNeese Key Players to Watch
Northwestern State
Love Bettis: Love Bettis wasn't Northwestern's top scorer this season, but he was the hero of their quarterfinal game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, putting up 17 points while shooting 50% from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Getting that level of production from their role players is what they'll need tonight to pull off the upset.
McNeese
Sincere Parker: The Cowboys' guard has emerged as a star in the past couple of weeks, putting up 22+ points in two-straight games while also contributing on defense. If their last two outings are any indication, they're going to lean heavily on the junior guard tonight.
Northwestern State vs. McNeese Prediction and Pick
McNeese's numbers are already off the charts, but it's the turnovers that are going to lead to the Cowboys covering this double-digit spread.
Northwestern State has struggled in the turnover department all season, coughing the ball up on 19.7% of possessions, which ranks 337th in the country. That's going to play right into the hands of McNeese, which ranks 14th in the country in forcing turnovers. Their opponents cough the ball up on 21.3% of their possessions against them.
Add in all of those extra possessions earned by McNeese on top of the superior shooting numbers and I'll back the Cowboys to cover the big spread.
Pick: McNeese -16.5 (-110) via BetMGM
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Northwestern State vs. McNeese Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for Southland Tournament Semifinal.