by The 2023 MEAC tournament concludes Saturday with a championship matchup between No. 1-seeded Howard Bison and No. 3-seeded Norfolk State Spartans. The matchup takes place at the Norfolk Scope Arena, with both teams going full steam ahead after semi-final victories. Howard defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore to improve to 21-12 overall and 13-3 against MEAC opponents. Norfolk State is 22-10 overall and 11-5 against MEAC opponents, including a win over North Carolina Central on Friday.
Tipoff is at 1 p.m. ET in Norfolk. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Spartans as 2-point favorites while the over/under, or total points Vegas believes will be scored, is 146 in the latest Norfolk State vs. Howard odds. Before you decide on Howard vs. Norfolk State, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting tips from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.
The SportsLine projection model simulates each Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model competes in week 76-51 of the conference tournament with the top college basketball picks this season, raking in nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Everyone who has followed him has seen huge returns.
Now the model has focused on Norfolk State vs. Howard and has just established its picks and CBB predictions. You can now go to SportsLine to see the model selection. Well, here are some college basketball odds and betting lines for Howard vs. Norfolk State:
- Spread between Norfolk State and Howard: Norfolk State -2
- Norfolk State vs. Howard Over/Under: 146 points
- Norfolk State vs. Howard Moneyline: Norfolk State -130, Howard +110
- NSU: The Spartans are 9-6-1 against the spread in MEAC games
- WIE: The Bison are 11-5 against the spread in MEAC games
- Norfolk State vs. Howard picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Howard Bison versus the Norfolk State Spartans
Why Norfolk State can cover
Norfolk State leads the MEAC in offensive efficiency this season, with Joe Bryant Jr. leading the way. The senior guard is averaging 17.7 points per game and broke out with 23 points and 10 rebounds in a semifinal win over North Carolina Central. The Spartans rank #1 in the MEAC for offensive rebound rate and free throw rate, with Norfolk State also leading the conference in 2-point shooting (54%) and free throw shooting (75%). Norfolk State produced 39 free throw attempts Friday and rode that efficiency to victory.
On defense, the Spartans kept North Carolina Central on 35% shooting with more turnovers (16) than assists allowed (13), and Norfolk State leads MEAC in 2-point defense and block rate. Howard ranks outside of the top 350 nationally for turnover rate and gives away more than 22% of ownership, and the Bison underperform among MEAC teams in free-throw creation rate.
Why Howard can cover
Howard is playing incredibly well and has won 13 of their last 15 games. The Bison shot 54% from the arc against Maryland Eastern-Shore and secured 14 offensive rebounds in the win. Howard has three players averaging double figures this season, led by Elijah Hawkins. Hawkins leads the team with 13.1 points and 5.9 assists per game, and the Bison are No. 2 in the MEAC for offensive efficiency. Howard’s leading strength is shooting efficiency, with the Bison ranking in the top 25 nationally for 3-point accuracy.
That includes a MEAC lead mark of more than 42% 3-point shooting in conference games, and Howard also leads the conference in field goal percentage (48%). Howard saves more than 37% of available offensive rebounds in conference play, and the Bison are also sharing the ball effectively. This is manifested in the #1 brands among MEAC teams in both assists per game and assist percentage.
How to Make Howard vs. Norfolk State Picks
SportsLine’s model tilts over the total and projects 150 combined points. The model also says that one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the model selection at SportsLine.
So who will win Norfolk State against Howard? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump to, all from the model who crushed his college basketball picks, and find out.
