| MATCHUP | Central Connecticut Blue Devils | Chicago State Cougers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 16-10 | 6-22 |
| Where | Jones Convocation Center, Chicago, IL | |
| When | Saturday, February 21, 2026 | |
| Time | 02:00 PM EST | |
| TV | NEC Front Row | |
The Central Connecticut State Blue Devils and the Chicago State Cougars meet Saturday in college basketball action from Jones Convocation Center. Here’s a Central Connecticut vs Chicago State prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Central Connecticut vs Chicago State pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
Central Connecticut Blue Devils Betting Preview
The Blue Devils could only manage a .500 run over their first 12 games, but then beat New Haven, Stonehill, Le Moyne and Saint Francis from there. Losses to Mercyhurst, Fairleigh Dickinson, Stonehill and LIU came in the next five, then wins over Chicago State, Wagner, New Haven and Fairleigh Dickinson. That would give the Blue Devils a 15-10 record in their first 25 outings.
In the Le Moyne game on Thursday the Blue Devils had a five-point edge 39-34 going into the locker room. Central Connecticut was outscored 43-39 the rest of the way but managed to hang on for the win at home in the end 78-77. Melo Sanchez put up 23 points with three steals in the victory and Darin Smith had 20 points with four assists and five rebounds in 33 minutes.
Chicago State Cougars Betting Preview
Over on the Chicago State side, they were able to win just two of their first 11 games this year. The Cougars hit an ugly 10-game losing streak after that, stretching from December 16 to January 25. A 4-2 run occurred in the next six games featuring wins over Mercyhurst, New Haven, Saint Francis and Stonehill, giving the Cougars a 6-21 record through 27 games.
Matched up against Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday the Cougars were down by two points heading into the break. Chicago State posted a 33-32 run the rest of the way but it wasn’t enough for the comeback in a 60-59 loss on their home floor. Topping the scorers was Dyel Cockrill with 17 points and five assists. Stephen Byard added 15 points with eight rebounds and two assists.
Central Connecticut Blue Devils @ Chicago State Cougars Betting Trends: February 21, 2026
Why the Chicago State Cougars will win
- Chicago State has won three of its last four home games.
Why the Central Connecticut Blue Devils will win
- Central Connecticut has won each of its last seven day games following a home win.
- Chicago State has lost 26 of its last 30 games at Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center following a home loss.
Central Connecticut vs Chicago State Prediction
I’ll take a stab on the Cougars but you could call it either way. Chicago State didn’t look their best against Fairleigh Dickinson this week despite shooting 45.5 percent from the field with 18 team assists and just eight turnovers. The Cougars were outmuscled on the boards 31-21 and gave up 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from 3-point range in the tight home loss. That makes consecutive losses for the Cougars with just 122 combined points in that pair.
In the last meeting between these teams back on February 5, the Cougars took a 78-67 road loss. In that one Chicago State shot a tepid 40.7 percent from the field while giving up 55.3 percent on defense. The 35-18 rebounding deficit didn’t help matters, but the Cougars did have a 32-28 edge in the paint and just three turnovers. Chicago State has a lot of tightening up to do in the home rematch but I think they’ve got a decent shot.