Halftime Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, Utah Valley looks much better today on their home court. They have jumped out to a quick 35-31 lead against North Dakota.
Utah Valley entered the match with four straight defeats and they’re well on their way to making it five. Can they turn things around, or will North Dakota hand them another loss? Only time will tell.
Who’s Playing
North Dakota Fighting Hawks @ Utah Valley Wolverines
Current Records: North Dakota 4-5, Utah Valley 4-5
How To Watch
What to Know
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks are taking a road trip to face off against the Utah Valley Wolverines at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday at UCCU Center. The Wolverines are favored, but seeing as the odds didn’t stop the Fighting Hawks in their last game, maybe the squad has another upset up their sleeve.
North Dakota took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Saturday. They came out on top against Weber State by a score of 80-75. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Fighting Hawks as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
North Dakota smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they’ve now pulled down at least 13 offensive rebounds in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Utah Valley’s recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Saturday after their fourth straight defeat. They took a 78-61 bruising from James Madison. The contest marked the Wolverines’ lowest-scoring match so far this season.
North Dakota’s win bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Utah Valley, they now also have a losing record at 4-5.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: North Dakota has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38.9 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Utah Valley struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 38.3. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we’ll see if one team can grab an edge.
North Dakota was able to grind out a solid victory over Utah Valley in their previous matchup back in November, winning 77-71. The rematch might be a little tougher for North Dakota since the team won’t have the home-court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Odds
Utah Valley is a big 8.5-point favorite against North Dakota, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 8.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is 145.5 points.
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Series History
Utah Valley has won 2 out of their last 3 games against North Dakota.
- Nov 14, 2024 – North Dakota 77 vs. Utah Valley 71
- Nov 24, 2018 – Utah Valley 74 vs. North Dakota 68
- Nov 25, 2017 – Utah Valley 83 vs. North Dakota 75
