PORTLAND STATE at NORTH DAKOTA, 6:05 p.m. MST
Betting line: North Dakota -6.5
KenPom gives North Dakota a 74 percent chance to win
Last time: First meeting this season
What’s at stake: Portland State snapped a five-game skid last Saturday when it beat Eastern Washington and scored 1.30 points per possession (ppp). Don’t bet on the Vikings repeating that sort of performance, but will they have any carryover momentum?
North Dakota is currently in sixth place but has a realistic possibility of finishing as high as third with a strong finish. One thing to watch for: UND junior guard Quinton Hooker is 26 points away from reaching a 1,000 for his career. The Vikings have an athletic backcourt, so that’ll be a fun matchup.
MONTANA at IDAHO STATE, 7 p.m. MST
Betting line: Montana -2.5
KenPom gives Montana a 59 percent chance to win
Last time: First meeting this season
What’s at stake: Most folks looking at the Big Sky this week are excited for Montana-Weber State on Saturday — understandably so. But I can guarantee you UM head coach Travis DeCuire and players are focused on the Bengals, even if they owned ISU last season.
The Grizzlies punished Bill Evans’ matchup zone in two matchups a year ago. They averaged 89 points and shot a combined 57.4 percent (58 for 101) from the field — while draining 27 3-pointers in two wins. Montana sharpshooter Brandon Gfeller knocked down 12 3-pointers just by himself.
The 3-point arc will play a huge role in Thursday’s matchup, too. In conference play, the Grizzlies lead the Big Sky shooting 41.9 percent from deep, and the Bengals are No. 1 in the conference defending the arc (holding opponents to 32 percent shooting).
Two more things: One, ISU’s Ethan Telfair and Geno Luzcando versus Montana’s trio of Walter Wright, Michael Oguine and Mario Dunn is going to be fun. Two, the Bengals are playing in Reed Gym as opposed to Holt Arena because of Idaho’s state high school wrestling tournaments. Holt is cold, drafty and holds 8,000 fans for basketball games. Reed’s capacity is 3,040 and should come close to selling out for this game. The atmosphere will be fantastic.
SACRAMENTO STAT at NORTHERN COLORADO, 7 p.m. MST
Betting line: Sacramento State -1
KenPom gives Sac State a 51 percent chance to win
Last time: First meeting this season
What’s at stake: The Hornets, in conference play, are 11th in the Big Sky scoring .994 ppp. They haven’t shot the ball well from 3 or the free-throw line. Northern Colorado, however, hasn’t been particularly effective defensively, either. So whose weakness will be exploited? Will the Bears, who have dropped five straight, be able to outscore the visiting Hornets? Or will Sac defend well enough and find a way to manufacture the points it needs to pull out a win on the road?
MONTANA STATE at WEBER STATE, 7:05 p.m. MST
Betting line: Weber State -11.5
KenPom gives Weber an 86 percent chance to win
Last time: First meeting this season
What’s at stake: How will Weber State respond to Joel Bolomboy’s absence? Montana State isn’t the kind of team with a player who will attack WSU in the post, but the Bobcats are third in conference action scoring 1.104 ppp. They have the weapons to challenge a Wildcats defense that’s No. 1 in Big Sky play holding teams to .947 ppp. We’ll get a gauge at how easily WSU coach Randy Rahe adjusts to life (for now) without his defensive anchor.
Live stats— Kyle Franko
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