Cleveland State vs. Oakland Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Horizon League Semifinal (Go with the Grizzlies)
Cleveland State seemingly couldn’t miss a shot in its 82-70 upset of No. 2 Youngstown State on Thursday. The Vikings are now two wins away from their second NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons, but will need another upset of top-seeded Oakland Monday night.
Oakland, the Horizon League regular-season champions for the first time since 2017, are searching for the fourth March Madness berth in program history and first since 2011. The Grizzlies are short favorites against Cleveland State to advance to Tuesday’s Horizon League title game in Indianapolis. Here’s the betting breakdown of the conference clash with a best bet.
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Cleveland State vs. Oakland Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Cleveland State +5.5 (-115)
- Oakland -5.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- Cleveland State: +195
- Oakland: -238
Total
- 144 (Over -118/Under -102)
Cleveland State vs. Oakland Betting Trends
- Cleveland State is 15-15-2 ATS this season
- Oakland is 20-12 ATS this season
- Cleveland State is 9-5 ATS as an underdog this season
- Oakland is 11-9 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 16-15-1 in Cleveland State games this season
- The OVER is 19-13 in Oakland game this season
Cleveland State vs. Oakland How to Watch
- Date: Monday, March 11
- Game time: 7 p.m. EST
- Venue: Indiana Farmers Coliseum
- How to watch (TV): ESPNU/ESPN+
- Cleveland State record: 20-13
- Oakland record: 21-11
Cleveland State vs. Oakland Key Players to Watch
Cleveland State
Chase Robinson: The junior guard averages 5.8 points per game and hadn’t scored in double figures in a non-overtime game since Jan. 4 entering the conference tournament. On Sunday, Robinson changed that in a big way, pouring in 20 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting, including a 4-for-4 performance from the perimeter.
Oakland
Trey Townsend: Oakland’s leading scorer (16.3 points per game), Townsend still dominated the glass with 11 rebounds despite a sub-par shooting performance (6 points on 3-of-8 shooting) in Thursday’s quarterfinal win over Purdue Fort Wayne. Townsend combined for 31 points and 21 rebounds in two matchups against Cleveland State this season.
Cleveland State vs. Oakland Prediction and Pick
Cleveland State shot 48.3% from the field and 50% from the perimeter (8-for-16) to upset No. 2 Youngstown State in the quarterfinals, despite missing 11 free throws. Can they build on that stellar shooting performance against an Oakland defense that is fourth in the Horizon League in scoring (72.9 points per game) and fourth in opposing field goal percentage?
Youngstown State was one of the best defenses in the Horizon League when Cleveland State struck gold on Thursday. How likely is a duplicate showing? Oakland’s defense is No. 5 in the Horizon League in effective field goal percentage and will face a Cleveland State offense that has lacked shooting consistency all season. The Viking are No. 9 in effective field goal percentage and seventh in efficiency while being one of the league’s worst free-throw shooting teams. Oakland is susceptible from beyond the arc, but Cleveland State is No. 9 in the Horizon League in both 2-point and 3-point shooting.
Oakland’s offense, which racked up 83 points thanks to 16 offensive rebounds in a double-digit win over Cleveland State Feb. 3, should see another big night on the glass. Cleveland State is one of the worst rebounding teams in the nation (No. 353 in defensive rebounding) while Oakland is top-5 in the Horizon League in creating second-chance opportunities. Cleveland State’s shooting regresses in a big way Monday night. Lay the points with the top-seeded Grizzlies.
Pick: Oakland -5.5
Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.