Cleveland State Vikings vs Youngstown State Penguins

This NCAAB matchup features Cleveland State Vikings (10-18 (6-6)) traveling to take on Youngstown State Penguins (14-14 (9-5)) at Beeghly Center, Youngstown, OH. The Youngstown St hold a clear statistical edge this season, outperforming the Cleveland St by 5.0 points per game in scoring margin. That differential will be a key factor in this matchup. On offense, Youngstown St averages 75.0 points per game, which exceeds what the Cleveland St defense typically allows (74.6 PPG). That mismatch could give the home side opportunities to exploit. Meanwhile, Cleveland St scores 72.1 PPG but faces a Youngstown St defense that limits opponents to 72.5 PPG. The home team's defensive effort could be the difference-maker. Home court advantage is worth approximately 3.5 points in NCAAB, and Youngstown St will look to leverage their home crowd. Our model projects Youngstown St to win by approximately 7.0 points. The 68% confidence interval ranges from Youngstown St winning by 20 to losing by 6. Our model aligns closely with the market on this one, suggesting the oddsmakers have priced this game efficiently. Look for small edges in the total and moneyline markets to capitalize on any remaining value.

Youngstown St enters at 14-14 (9-5), hovering around the .500 mark. They've shown flashes of strong play but haven't been able to sustain consistency. At home, they'll look to put together a complete performance and build momentum. It's been a difficult season for Cleveland St at 10-18 (6-6). Traveling to face Youngstown St presents a significant challenge, though every game is a chance to build for the future. When these teams meet, the home team typically has the edge given the crowd advantage and familiarity factor. The team that controls tempo and limits turnovers will likely dictate the outcome of this matchup.