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The Southern Illinois Salukis will take on the Chicago State Cougars in a noon-conference matchup on Friday night. The Salukis are 7-4 this season and will hope to finish strong in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Cougars are 3-9 this season and are not pegged to do anything noteworthy in the Independent League. They lost against the Murray State Racers in their most recent game but managed to cover the spread as underdogs. The Salukis defeated Lincoln (MO) in their most recent game.
Chicago State vs Southern Illinois Betting Odds
Chicago State vs Southern Illinois Match Details
Fixture: Chicago State Cougars at Southern Illinois Salukis
Date and Time: Friday, December 16 at 8:00 PM ET
Venue: SIU Arena, Carbondale, Illinois
Chicago State vs Southern Illinois Key Stats
After suffering a painful loss to Murray State by a score of 66-65, the Cougars enter this away game on a two-game losing streak. The Cougars and Salukis will meet for the 13th time overall; CSU is 11-1 down in the series. The Cougars, who left the Western Athletic Conference following the 2017–18 season, are also one of just two Division I schools that will play on an independent schedule in the 2022–23 season.
For the second consecutive season, the Cougars started off their home schedule by securing three victories, something CSU hadn't accomplished since 2018–19. However, through 12 games, the team's troubles away from home have been evident.
The Salukis have won four of their previous six games, including a recent 88-51 triumph over Lincoln (MO), but have only had one cover during that period. The Salukis' scoring offense is led by Marcus Domask, who averages 16.9 points per game, and Lance Jones, who averages 12.6 points per game. Both players also lead the team in assists, with 3.5 and 3.2 per game, respectively.
The Salukis are ranked No. 2 in the MVC for field goal percentage (48.2%) and No. 3 for three-point percentage (69.4 points per game), respectively. They are 7-0 all-time against the Cougars at home after winning their most recent game of the series, 65-50, back in 2013.
Chicago State vs Southern Illinois Betting Prediction
Right now, the spread for the Cougars is 14.5; take the points. Southern Illinois hasn't been a huge favorite during the season, and it lost both of its most recent games with odds of at least 14 points, both SU and ATS.
The Cougars are 4-1 ATS in their past five contests and nearly defeated Murray State in their most recent game despite being 12-point underdogs, while the Salukis are 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight games. Additionally, four of the Salukis' seven victories have come down to 13 points or fewer. Tonight, bet on the Cougars to cover the spread.
Pick: Chicago State Cougars +14.5 (-110)
