Northern Iowa vs Richmond Odds and Picks
- The Northern Iowa Panthers travel to Richmond, Virginia, to take on the Richmond Spiders at the Robins Center at 6:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Dec. 9th
- The #19 Panthers are undefeated after three games while Northern Iowa got its first win of the season over St. Ambrose last time out
- See the odds, point spread, analysis, and best bet, below
The Richmond Spiders (3-0) roll into Wednesday’s game against Northern Iowa (1-3) on the heels of a 77-72 win over a sneaky good Wofford Terriers team on Monday.
The UNI Panthers will be looking to stay on a winning track after blowing out a Division II opponent last Friday.
The all time series is split 1-1 with Richmond winning the last meeting 82-67 in 2015. The odds see Richmond favored by 8.5 in this game.
Northern Iowa Panthers vs Richmond Spiders Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Iowa Panthers | +8.5 (-113) | +360 | O 149.5 (-110) |
| Richmond Spiders | -8.5 (-109) | -460 | U 149.5 (-110) |
Odds as of December 8th at FanDuel.
Richmond Is off to a Hot Start
Richmond didn’t get the cover but they did get a win in a thriller with Wofford on Monday. The Spiders ended up being too much to handle down low as they got nearly half their points in the paint (38). They were out rebounded 39-30 including a 12-6 disparity on the offensive glass in the contest.
Senior guard Jacob Gilyard led the way in scoring for Richmond with 18 points. Gilyard hit a three-pointer with nineteen seconds left to put the Spiders ahead for good 76-72. He filled the stat sheet adding five rebounds, six assists and five steals.
Spiders win! Jacob Gilyard leads UR with 18 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals. #OneRichmond pic.twitter.com/R0GBm8K4Fx
— Richmond Basketball (@SpiderMBB) December 7, 2020
Grant Golden wasn’t far behind Gilyard in scoring with 15 points of his own. Tyler Burton flirted with a double-double going for 12 points and seven rebounds. Forward Nathan Cayo had a down game by his standards but still managed 11 points to go along with six rebounds.
Northern Iowa Is Struggling
Northern Iowa is struggling to get wins despite being a top 100 ranked team according to KenPom. The Panthers were finally able to get into the win column last Friday against a Division II opponent St. Ambrose. They shot the ball well hitting 52% from the floor in the matchup.
It was the first game of the season for Northern Iowa since losing star forward AJ Green to a hip injury. The Panthers are still not sure how long the injury will keep Green sidelined but he will not be dressed for the game with Richmond. Green was leading Northern Iowa in points, rebounds, assists and steals before the injury.
The hits just keep on coming for the Northern Iowa men in the early going. Details on AJ Green's injury and more from @Dargan_Southard. https://t.co/Bxq1Pxjnfu
— DM Register Sports (@DMRsports) December 4, 2020
Trae Berhow led the way for the Panthers against St. Ambrose with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in his first action of the season. Forward Noah Carter also impressed with 17 points in his first double digit scoring game since going for 28 in the opener versus Western Kentucky.
Best Betting Angle
The Richmond Spiders have looked every bit the part of a team poised to make a tournament run in March. They are a skilled, mature bunch that can turn it up on both ends of the floor. They have already proven that no stage is too big after beating Kentucky by double digits.
This game should come down to how Iowa State can react to life without star point guard AJ Green. He is the heart and soul of this team and he is the one player the Panthers can’t live without. Northern Iowa will have a hard time scoring against the 63rd ranked defense in the country in Green’s absence.
Laying 8.5 points is not always easy to do for most bettors but the Spiders should be able to score with ease. Northern Iowa is ranked 121st in defensive efficiency according to KenPom, and that was with Green in the lineup. The Panthers have yet to take the floor against a Division I opponent without him in the lineup so the learning curve could be steep.
To compound Northern Iowa’s defensive issues, Richmond is a top 50 offense in the offensive efficiency metric. To make matters worse, they play at a fast pace which can lead to points in a hurry. They average 15.4 seconds per offensive possession which is 44th fastest in the nation. The Spiders should have no problem scoring on Northern Iowa while also thwarting any attack the Panthers can muster.
Pick: Richmond -8.5 (-109)
John has spent the past 20+ years betting sports on a daily basis and is considered by many to be a walking sports betting encyclopedia. From obscure player props to sides and totals, if there is an angle, John will find it.
