DePaul Blue Demons vs Northwestern Wildcats Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 2
DePaul and Northwestern are both 3-0 in a crosstown meeting at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and Jake West's 21.3 points and 8.7 assists per game headline two nearly identical profiles.
The Matchup
This is a crosstown game with real stakes at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston: DePaul of the Big East at 3-0 visiting Northwestern of the Big Ten, also 3-0. The profiles are nearly identical. DePaul scores 80.3 and allows 61.7 per game; Northwestern scores 78.7 and allows 60.0. On the blended ratings, which mix this season with last season because both teams have played only three games, the two are separated by almost nothing.
The individual edge belongs to the home team. Jake West has been superb for Northwestern at 21.3 points and 8.7 assists per game, the best guard line in this game, and Angelo Ciaravino adds 7.7 rebounds per game.
DePaul's leader is Koree Cotton at 12.7 points per game, with Layden Blocker at 2.7 assists per game, a far less commanding backcourt picture. Last season DePaul went 16-16 and Northwestern 15-19, which is why the blend treats this as a coin flip rather than a mismatch. West and Cotton both carry no injury designations.
Key Factors
Guard play decides a game this even, and West is the clearest advantage either team owns. A lead guard producing 21.3 points and 8.7 assists per game bends a defense on every possession, and DePaul has no equivalent creator to answer with.
The counterpoint is that DePaul is the slight favorite for a reason: its scoring is more distributed, its defense has matched Northwestern's through three games, and a team that does not depend on one player travels better. If Cotton and Blocker keep West in front of them and force Northwestern's supporting cast to win the game, DePaul can take this outright. At home, though, with the best player on the floor and points in hand, Northwestern is the side.
DePaul crosses town as a slight favorite, but Jake West has been the best player in this matchup so far and Welsh-Ryan Arena gives Northwestern the last edge in a game this even. Take Northwestern Wildcats +1.5 at -115.
Game Information
| Date | Friday (11/13) |
|---|---|
| Start Time | 8:00 PM CT |
| How to Watch | BTN |
| Venue | Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston |
| Spread | DePaul Blue Demons -1.5 |
| Total | 140.5 |
| Moneyline | DePaul Blue Demons -125 |
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