Ball State Cardinals vs. Northern Illinois Huskies Picks and Prediction for Saturday, February 28, 2026

By: Jake Allman Published 02/28/2026, 02:55 AM ET

Ball State heads to DeKalb for a MAC matchup between two teams sitting at 4-11 in conference play. The Cardinals are 9-19 overall, while Northern Illinois is 9-18 and slightly favored by ESPN’s matchup predictor at 55.7 percent. Tip-off is set for 4:00 PM ET at the NIU Convocation Center on ESPN+. With both teams allowing over 70 points per game, this shapes up as a competitive, offense-driven conference game. Slam dunk your bets with our College Basketball picks.

Ball State Preview

Ball State snapped a four-game skid with a 74-73 overtime win against Massachusetts last time out. The Cardinals are averaging 66.3 points per game on 40.9 percent shooting, including 30.7 percent from three. Davion Hill leads Ball State with 13.4 points per game on 45.0 percent shooting, while Armoni Zeigler adds 12.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Zeigler also contributes 1.5 steals per contest, giving Ball State some solid backcourt defense. The Cardinals allow 70.4 points per game and average 32.1 rebounds, but turnovers at 10.8 per game have limited offensive efficiency.

Northern Illinois Preview

Northern Illinois averages 70.8 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting and pulls down 35.5 rebounds per contest. Makhai Valentine leads the Huskies with 13.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, shooting 41.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from deep. Gianni Cobb runs the offense with 9.6 points and 4.0 assists per game, though the Huskies commit 15.0 turnovers per contest as a team. Taj Walters chips in 8.5 points and a team-high 5.6 rebounds per game. Northern Illinois is giving up 76.3 points per game, which has been a major issue during this recent stretch of four losses in the last five games.

Ball State vs Northern Illinois Prediction

This matchup likely comes down to tempo and ball security. Northern Illinois scores more, but the Huskies also allow significantly more on the defensive end. Ball State’s offense is not explosive, yet the Cardinals take better care of the ball and force 7.6 steals per game. If Hill and Zeigler control the backcourt and limit live-ball turnovers, Ball State can stay within striking distance all afternoon.

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Prediction: Ball State 72, Northern Illinois 70

Ball State has the steadier guard play and faces a Huskies team that struggles to defend and protect the basketball. In a close MAC battle, taking the points with the Cardinals makes sense.

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