Eastern Illinois vs Northwestern Game Information

Eastern Illinois vs Northwestern Preview

Ohio Valley Conference member Eastern Illinois (1-2, 0-2 on Road) heads upstate to Evanston to face Big Ten side Northwestern (2-1, 2-0 at Home) in an early season non-conference collision which sees the Wildcats installed as the solid Favorites. In their last game, the Panthers lost at Indiana, 90-55 while the Wildcats won 83-74 at Home vs UIC. One cat will win here, and I think we know which cat it is. So far EIU’s schedule has been feast or famine with the two blowout losses to Midwest icons Illinois and Indiana and the one blowout win coming against Earlham College? Who? The Quakers of Earlham College, man. You know, from Division III in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) from Richmond, Indiana, Now will the Panthers finally play a close game after Big Ten losses by 45 both times? Nope.

Eastern Illinois Looking For Upset in Evanston

Eastern Illinois (0-2-0 ATS, 1-1-0 O/U) gave us Burl Ives (Frosty the Snowman), John Malkovich (Dangerous Liaisons), and Tony Romo (NFL QB), but the big question here, is can the Panthers cover ATS or even win outright vs Northwestern on the Road? Nakyal Shelton (15.7 ppg, 3,3 rpg), Asteses Stapleton (13.3 ppg), Zion Fruster (12.7 ppg), and Kooper Jacobi (10.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg) are all in double-digits for the Panthers who have never beaten the Wildcats and lost by at least 14 in all three previous meetings. Last year EIU went 15-18 SU and 15-13 ATS. With DePaul, Valparaiso, Northern Illinois, and Butler coming up on the schedule, it looks like another testing start for the Panthers.

Eastern Illinois Betting Trends

• Eastern Illinois has lost 3 straight ATS
• The Panthers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 on the Road
• The Over is 5-2 in the Panthers last 7 games
• EIU’s last 3 wins have come against Earlham, SIUE, Lindenwood
• The Under is 2-0 the last 2 series meetings

Purple Cats Seeking Third Straight Big Dance Trip

Northwestern (1-2 ATS, 1-1-1 O/U) is led by stud Nick Martinelli (28.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg), Jalen Leach (11.7 ppg, 3.7 apg), Luke Hunger (9.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg), Ty Berry (7.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Angelo Ciarvino (7.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg), and KJ Windham (7.0 ppg, 4.7 apg), and this is a team that has only made the NCAA Tournament three times—but twice in the last two years when Northwestern—who first made the Tourney in 2017—did what it always does…win in the First Round and then get eliminated in the Second Round. After beating No. 10-seed Boise State in 2023, the No. 7-seed Wildcats got bounced by UCLA, and last year in 2024, No. 9-seed NU eliminated Florida Atlantic before seeing the tournament’s top-seed and eventual champions, UConn send them packing. What this all means is that the program has evolved to a level it has never consistently been to before and that 12th-year Head Coach and Duke product Chris Collins will want to keep it this way.

Northwestern Betting Trends

• Northwestern is 3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS vs Eastern Illinois
• HC Chris Collins is 180-175 lifetime (50.7%)
• Northwestern is 1-3 ATS its last 4 overall
• The Wildcats have alternated Wins-Losses its last 8 games (LWLWLWLW)
• Northwestern is 1-3 ATS in its last 4 games at Welsh-Ryan Arena

Eastern Illinois vs Northwestern Prediction and Pick

In all three series meetings, Northwestern has had a conservative halftime lead (5, 4, 11) and then turned on the jets in the Second Half to outscore EIU by 10, 13, and 13 to win by 15, 17, and 24. So there is a pattern. And we can probably expect the same here, with the Wildcats leading by 10 to 16 after the first 20 minutes and then outscoring the Panthers by 15 to 18 points the rest of the way to win in the 25- to 34-point range. This Eastern Illinois vs Northwestern prediction and free NCAAB pick says that backing the Home team from a Power 5 conference and laying the lumber is the Rx. 

Kevin’s Pick: Northwestern -23