Idaho Vandals vs Portland State Vikings

This NCAAB matchup features Idaho Vandals (14-12 (8-3)) traveling to take on Portland State Vikings (17-7 (9-2)) at Viking Pavilion, Portland, OR. The Portland St hold a clear statistical edge this season, outperforming the Idaho by 5.9 points per game in scoring margin. That differential will be a key factor in this matchup. On offense, Portland St averages 79.2 points per game, which exceeds what the Idaho defense typically allows (71.9 PPG). That mismatch could give the home side opportunities to exploit. The Idaho offense puts up 75.8 PPG and faces a Portland St defense allowing 69.4 PPG. The visitors have the offensive firepower to stay in this one. Home court advantage is worth approximately 3.5 points in NCAAB, and Portland St will look to leverage their home crowd. Our model projects Portland St to win by approximately 7.9 points. The 68% confidence interval ranges from Portland St winning by 20 to losing by 5. The market has this game at -3.5, but our model sees value on Portland St with a 4.4-point edge. Our line: Portland St -7.9. Combined with the total projection of 155 versus the market line of 142.5, there are opportunities to find value on both sides of this matchup.

Portland St has been one of the more consistent teams this season with a 17-7 (9-2) record. Their 17-win campaign speaks to the quality of play they've maintained throughout the year. They've been solid on both ends of the floor and will look to continue that form in front of their home fans. Idaho sits at 14-12 (8-3) on the season. They've been competitive in most outings but have had their share of inconsistent performances. On the road, they'll need to bring their best effort to come away with a win. When these teams meet, the home team typically has the edge given the crowd advantage and familiarity factor. The team that controls tempo and limits turnovers will likely dictate the outcome of this matchup.