Halftime Report

N. Iowa is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Valparaiso 38-26.

If N. Iowa keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 14-12 in no time. On the other hand, Valparaiso will have to make due with a 6-20 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

N. Iowa Panthers @ Valparaiso Beacons

Current Records: N. Iowa 13-12, Valparaiso 6-19

How To Watch

What to Know

Valparaiso is on a three-game streak of home losses, the Panthers a three-game streak of away losses, but someone's luck is about to change. Both teams will face off in a Missouri Valley battle at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Athletics-Recreation Center. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.

It's hard to win when your three-point shooting is a whole 21.1% worse than the opposition, a fact Valparaiso found out the hard way on Saturday. The match between them and the Bruins wasn't a total blowout, but with the Beacons falling 96-78 at home it was darn close to turning into one. Valparaiso has struggled against the Bruins recently, as their contest on Saturday was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.

Despite their loss, Valparaiso saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Darius DeAveiro, who scored 14 points, was perhaps the best of all. DeAveiro didn't help Valparaiso's cause all that much against the Sycamores on Wednesday but the same can't be said for this matchup.

Meanwhile, the point spread may have favored N. Iowa last Sunday, but the final result did not. They fell 71-65 to the Flames.

Nate Heise put forth a good effort for the losing side as he dropped a double-double on 19 points and 11 rebounds. He continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played.

The Beacons' defeat dropped their record down to 6-19. As for the Panthers, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 13-12 record this season.

Valparaiso is hoping to beat the odds on Wednesday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a three-game streak of failing to cover when playing at home.

Valparaiso came up short against the Panthers when the teams last played back in January of 2023, falling 77-66. Will Valparaiso have more luck at home instead of on the road?

Odds

N. Iowa is a big 7.5-point favorite against Valparaiso, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 7.5-point spread, and stayed right there.


The over/under is set at 143 points.

See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

N. Iowa has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Valparaiso.

  • Jan 25, 2023 - N. Iowa 77 vs. Valparaiso 66
  • Jan 04, 2023 - N. Iowa 69 vs. Valparaiso 67
  • Jan 19, 2022 - Valparaiso 83 vs. N. Iowa 80
  • Jan 05, 2022 - N. Iowa 92 vs. Valparaiso 65
  • Feb 14, 2021 - N. Iowa 74 vs. Valparaiso 60
  • Feb 13, 2021 - Valparaiso 70 vs. N. Iowa 57
  • Feb 05, 2020 - N. Iowa 63 vs. Valparaiso 51
  • Jan 15, 2020 - N. Iowa 88 vs. Valparaiso 78
  • Feb 23, 2019 - N. Iowa 64 vs. Valparaiso 53
  • Jan 19, 2019 - Valparaiso 75 vs. N. Iowa 66