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Bears vs Grizzlies Picks and Predictions – Saturday January 3, 2026
Northern Colorado heads to Missoula for a Big Sky game against Montana on Saturday, January 3, with tip set for 6:00 PM ET at Dahlberg Arena. ESPN+ has the broadcast, and the matchup matters early in conference play because both sides are trying to stack wins before the schedule tightens.
The market is basically calling this a coin flip. Montana is laying a short number at home, Northern Colorado is catching +1.5, and the total is sitting at a lofty 163.5. With two offenses that can really score when they find rhythm, this one is going to come down to shot quality and who controls the possession game late.
Northern Colorado Bears vs Montana Grizzlies Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should keep monitoring the latest college basketball odds leading into tip.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Colorado Bears | -109 | +1.5 (-120) | 163.5 |
| Montana Grizzlies | -111 | -1.5 (+100) | 163.5 |
Northern Colorado Bears Betting Form
Northern Colorado is coming off an 89-75 loss at Montana State, and that one is worth noting because it wasn’t a fluky cold-shooting night. The Bears were put in more half-court possessions and had to work deeper into the clock, which is the type of game state that can expose you on the road. Still, the offense travels because it’s built on spacing and clean looks, not one gimmick.
This is a team that scores in volume (86.0 points per game) while keeping efficiency high (58.7% effective field goal rate). They can beat you with threes (10.6 made per game), but the bigger point for betting is that their scoring doesn’t always require pace. If they’re getting early paint touches that turn into kickouts, they can stay inside a short spread even when the game slows.
For a deeper look at recent splits and game logs, use Northern Colorado stats and results.
Montana Grizzlies Betting Form
Montana comes in off a solid 78-64 win over Northern Arizona, and the efficiency was the headline. When this team is playing clean, the floor is pretty high because they shoot a strong percentage overall (49.5% from the field) and they don’t need to be scorching from deep to get to 80. They’re also a better ball-moving group than most Big Sky teams, which matters a lot in close spreads.
At home, the profile is steady, even if the record is just 5-4. Dahlberg Arena tends to reward teams that can execute in the half court and defend without over-helping, and that’s where Montana can create separation possession by possession. Money Williams is the fulcrum as a scorer (17.7 points per game), but the more important angle for bettors is that Montana can score through sets and stay organized late, which is how favorites win tight games without needing a shooting heater.
For a deeper look at their schedule and team numbers, use Montana schedule and stats.
Northern Colorado Bears vs Montana Grizzlies Matchup Breakdown
This matchup starts with shot profile. Northern Colorado’s path is three-point volume plus high-end efficiency, and that’s exactly the type of underdog profile that stays live in a +1.5 market. If the Bears are getting clean catch-and-shoot looks early, the game becomes high-variance fast, and Montana doesn’t have much room to absorb a 9-0 run without the spread flipping.
Montana’s counter is control. They’re not forced into a track meet, and they don’t have to match threes if they’re getting quality twos and living at the rim or mid-post. The Grizzlies also share it well (16.3 assists per game), which tends to show up late when games get tight and one team starts hunting.
The total is the tricky part. 163.5 is big for a Big Sky game, and Northern Colorado’s pace profile is slower than the scoreboard suggests. If this becomes a half-court game with longer possessions and fewer transition freebies, the number is asking a lot even if both teams are efficient. But if Montana pushes pace selectively at home and Northern Colorado is firing quick threes in response, the tempo can creep upward without either team “playing fast.”
Situationally, Northern Colorado is still on a road swing in Montana after the Montana State game, but it’s not a brutal travel spot. What matters more is whether their legs show up in the defensive glass and closeouts, because those are the first places you see fatigue on the road.
Northern Colorado Bears vs Montana Grizzlies Predictions and Best Bets
I lean Northern Colorado +1.5. In a near pick’em, I’d rather hold the points with the team that can manufacture quick scoring runs through spacing and three-point volume. Even if Montana controls the half court, Northern Colorado has enough shot-making to keep this inside one possession late.
Montana can absolutely win the game. The Grizzlies are at home, they’re efficient, and their ball movement gives them a cleaner late-game offensive identity than most teams at this level. But with the number sitting at -1.5 and the moneyline basically even, I’m not getting paid enough to lay it unless there’s clear availability news breaking toward Montana.
On the total, my lean is under 163.5. Both teams can score, but the pace case is weaker than the raw points-per-game suggests, and conference games often get a little more deliberate when the margin is tight. If you like the over, you’re basically betting on sustained shot-making plus enough late-game fouling to get it home.
Best Bet: Northern Colorado +1.5 (-120)
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re building a full card for Saturday, start with the college basketball picks page, then compare matchups across the NCAAB previews hub to see where your strongest leans line up with the board.
For fast team-to-team navigation and schedule context, the college basketball teams hub is the easiest way to move around the slate. When you want broader betting angles during conference play, the ScoresAndStats blog is a good add-on to your daily process.
If you prefer to follow proven track records, check out the best handicappers list and validate current form on the handicappers leaderboard. And if you want packaged plays for the day, you can find options on buy picks. For deeper fundamentals and market concepts, the expert betting guide is a solid reference point, and the sportsbook reviews plus handicappers sites reviews can help when you’re comparing where and how you want to bet.
