Northern Kentucky Norse vs Cleveland State Vikings Picks and Prediction For Wednesday, February 25, 2026
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Northern Kentucky heads to the Wolstein Center to face Cleveland State on Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET. The Norse sit at 17-12 overall and 9-9 in Horizon League play, while the Vikings are 10-19 and 6-12 in the Horizon. Northern Kentucky won the first meeting 95-80 back on December 4, and ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Norse a 64.4 percent edge. Cleveland State enters off five straight losses, while Northern Kentucky has won three of the last five. Slam dunk your bets with our College Basketball picks.
Northern Kentucky Preview
Northern Kentucky averages 82.2 points per game and shoots 46 percent from the field. Donovan Oday leads the offense at 18.5 points per game on 48.3 percent shooting, and the Norse also get 15.4 assists per contest as a team. LJ Wells controls the glass with 7.0 rebounds per game, helping Northern Kentucky post 35.4 boards a night. The Norse allow 76.2 points per game and give up 8.1 made threes per contest, which is important against a Cleveland State team that relies heavily on perimeter scoring.
Cleveland State Preview
Cleveland State scores 80.6 points per game but allows 85.8, one of the weaker defensive marks in the Horizon. The Vikings shoot 46 percent from the floor and average 11.2 made three pointers per game. Dayan Nessah leads Cleveland State with 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds, while Chevalier Emery is coming off a 21-point effort in the 92-86 loss to Purdue Fort Wayne. Cleveland State has dropped five straight games, surrendering at least 85 points in each of those contests, including 106 to Youngstown State and 102 to Wright State.
Cleveland State vs Northern Kentucky Prediction
The numbers point toward Northern Kentucky having the more balanced profile. The Norse defend the arc well and hold opponents to 76.2 points per game, while Cleveland State has struggled to string together stops. Northern Kentucky also won the first matchup by 15 points, scoring 95 in that game and exposing the Vikings’ interior weaknesses.
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Prediction: Northern Kentucky 84, Cleveland State 78
Northern Kentucky’s scoring balance and rebounding edge should translate to a win on the road. The Norse have the better defensive numbers and enter in stronger recent form.
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Best Picks
- Northern Kentucky -1
- Over 162.5
