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Mid-American Conference play continues Thursday as Miami (OH) heads to DeKalb to take on Northern Illinois at the NIU Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for January 31, 2026. The Huskies enter as small home favorites, with both teams sitting mid-pack in the MAC standings and jockeying for positioning ahead of February.
Northern Illinois (10–10, 4–5 MAC) has split its last four, showing signs of life offensively at home. Miami (OH) (9–11, 3–6 MAC) has been inconsistent, alternating covers and struggling with turnovers. In a spot like this — near a pick’em — it comes down to shot quality, foul control, and who gets more easy buckets in transition.
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Miami (OH) RedHawks vs Northern Illinois Huskies Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (OH) RedHawks | +115 | +2.0 (-108) | O 143.5 (-110) |
| Northern Illinois Huskies | -135 | -2.0 (-112) | U 143.5 (-110) |
Miami (OH) RedHawks Betting Form
Miami (OH) relies heavily on guard play and ball movement but lacks a true shot creator. They’re shooting just under 33% from deep in conference play and tend to fall behind when those shots aren’t falling. One positive: they’ve been better on the glass recently, winning the rebounding battle in four straight.
Defensively, the RedHawks are vulnerable in transition and foul more than you’d like from a road dog. When they play clean and force jump shots, they hang around. But their ball control has cost them — averaging 14.3 turnovers per game in MAC play.
Watch the Miami (OH) RedHawks injury report for any rotation updates. Check the Miami (OH) RedHawks stats and results for game logs and pace trends.
Northern Illinois Huskies Betting Form
The Huskies are starting to click offensively, especially at home. They rank in the top 3 of the MAC in 2-point FG% and draw fouls at a high rate. They’ve been more aggressive driving to the rim and have found success playing inside-out. When their backcourt controls pace, they tend to cover.
They’re not elite defensively, but they contest well and have protected the paint better of late. Turnover creation is average, but they make up for it with rebounding and second-chance points. If they play through their bigs, they can dominate Miami’s smaller frontcourt.
For roster updates, monitor the Northern Illinois Huskies injury report. For more stats, visit the Northern Illinois Huskies schedule and stats.
Miami (OH) RedHawks vs Northern Illinois Huskies Matchup Breakdown
Miami wants to move the ball, hit threes, and avoid foul trouble — but they’ve struggled with all three on the road. Northern Illinois isn’t flashy, but their ability to play inside, get to the line, and rebound gives them a steady floor.
Key angles:
- NIU scores nearly 60% of its points inside the arc
- Miami (OH) is 2–7 ATS on the road this season
- Rebounding and foul rate both favor NIU
- Miami shoots 24 FTs/game in wins, only 12 FTs/game in losses
Unless Miami controls tempo early, they could get buried in the paint and at the line.
Miami (OH) RedHawks vs Northern Illinois Huskies Predictions and Best Bets
I lean Northern Illinois -2. They’re the more physical team, better at home, and more likely to win the FT battle. Miami’s turnover issues and fouling make them hard to back on the road unless they shoot lights out.
Total leans slightly Over — 143.5 isn’t a huge number, and both teams have trending offensive metrics recently. But with possible pace drag in the second half, it’s not a strong play.
Best Bet: Northern Illinois Huskies -2.0 (-112).
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