McNeese State vs North Texas Prediction 11-18-24 College Basketball Picks

North Texas (3-0) vs. McNeese State (1-2)
18 November 2024 at 7:00 p.m. EDT
The Line: McNeese State +1.5; Over/Under: 132.5
(Get latest odds)

The North Texas Mean Green and McNeese State Cowboys meet Monday in college basketball action from the Legacy Center. Here is a McNeese vs North Texas prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best McNeese vs North Texas pick.

North Texas Mean Green Betting Preview

The Mean Green have done quite well so far, picking up a trio of wins over their first three outings. North Texas dispatched Evansville 80-63 in their opener, then took care of Wayland Baptist in a blowout 80-38 victory in game two.

Back on Wednesday in the Minnesota game, the Mean Green held a 23-14 edge after the first half. North Texas was outscored 37-31 from there, but held on for the thrilling 54-51 road victory. Leading scorer Rondel Walker had 14 points as the only team player in double figures. North Texas will take on Oregon State, Northern Iowa and High Point after this one.

McNeese State Cowboys Betting Preview

On the McNeese side, they split their first two games. The opener was a matchup with South Dakota State, which turned into an 80-73 loss. The Cowboys got a softer matchup versus the College of Biblical Studies in game two for a 111-57 blowout victory.

The Cowboys had a tough challenge ahead of them in the Alabama game last Monday. McNeese was down 41-30 at halftime and ended up falling 72-64. Frank Parker was the leading scorer with 19 points and three boards.

Why the McNeese State Cowboys will win

  • McNeese State has won each of its last 20 home games.
  • North Texas has lost each of its last three road games following a road win.
  • McNeese State has won the first half in each of its last 12 home games against non-AP ranked opponents.

Why the North Texas Mean Green Will Win

  • North Texas has won 11 of its last 12 night games against non-conference opponents.
  • McNeese State has lost five of its last six American Athletic Conference games.
  • North Texas has won the first half in 18 of its last 19 night games against non-conference opponents.

McNeese vs North Texas Prediction

I’ll probably just stick with North Texas. The Mean Green are coming off a nice road win over Minnesota. North Texas shot a tepid 37.7 percent from the field with a 39-37 rebounding deficit in one, but held the Gophers to just 31.3 percent in the other. The 13 Minnesota turnovers also helped.

As for McNeese, they didn’t play too badly against a great Alabama team last week. The Cowboys shot 39.3 percent from the field with 35 rebounds in the one, but also had zero blocks and just three assists. North Texas will be much closer to McNeese’s wheelhouse, but I don’t think the Cowboys will cover/win in the end.