Four varsity basketball teams compete in what is described as a one-of-a-kind event for historically black colleges and universities in Phoenix. The 2021 Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge hosted by Chris Paul continues on Monday with a showdown between the Norfolk State Spartans and the Grambling Tigers. Norfolk State is 7-1 this season after beating Hampton on Sunday night. Grambling is 2-4 after beating Morgan State in Phoenix.
Tipoff is at 6 p.m. ET in Phoenix. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Spartans as the 5.5-point favorites, while the number of points above or below, or the total number of points Vegas thinks they are scored, is 140 in recent Norfolk State vs. Grambling odds. Before making any Grambling picks against Norfolk State, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine projection model.
The SportsLine projection model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $ 2,100 for every $ 100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks versus the spread. Anyone who has followed him has seen huge returns.
Now the model has set their sights on Norfolk State against Grambling. You can visit SportsLine now to see the choices. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Grambling against Norfolk State:
- Norfolk State vs Grambling Gap: Norfolk State -5.5
- Norfolk State v Grambling over-under: 140 points
- Norfolk State: Spartans are 4-1 ATS in last five games
- Grambling: Tigers are 1-4 ATS in last five games
Why Norfolk State Can Cover
The Spartans are playing well enough to start the season, racking up four double-digit wins. Norfolk State is led by senior goaltender Joe Bryant Jr., who averages 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game with impressive efficiency. Bryant Jr. reverses nearly 38% of his 3-point attempts, and the veteran converts 97.4% of free throw attempts in 2021-2022.
As a team, Norfolk State is near the top of the country in terms of free throw creation rates, putting pressure on opponents by producing effective looks. The Spartans are also above par on 2-pointers, making 49.5% of attempts, and Norfolk State has a defense that is wreaking havoc. The Spartans generate turnover on more than 23% of defensive possessions, including a 13.0% theft rate which is in the national top 30, and Grambling is currently 355th in the country in ball safety. .
Why Grambling can cover
The Tigers have the 3-point shooting advantage in this game. Grambling converts 40.8% of attempts to 3 points, a top 20 in the country, and Norfolk State is only shooting 31.0% from deep. Norfolk State is outside the top 350 in terms of allowed 3-point attempt rate, so Grambling should be able to produce some quality looks from the outside. The Tigers are also above par when it comes to creating free throw attempts, with Norfolk State currently ranking below the national average in free throw prevention.
On defense, Grambling is forcing a turnover of 19.5% of possessions, a very solid mark, and opponents are shooting just 48.7% on 2-point attempts against the Tigers. Grambling also enjoys a 9.1% block rate above the national average, and the Tigers are contesting shots at a high level.
How to make choices between Grambling and Norfolk State
SportsLien’s model looks at the total, projecting 138 combined points. It also generated a choice against the spread which collects nearly 60% of the simulations. You can only get the choice at SportsLine.
So who wins Norfolk State against Grambling? And which side of the spread can you bet on in almost 60% of the simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has grossed nearly $ 2,100 on its varsity basketball picks over the past five plus years, and find out.