| MATCHUP | Evansville Purple Aces | Northern Iowa Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 7-25 | 20-12 |
| Where | Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, SD | |
| When | Thursday, March 5, 2026 | |
| Time | 09:30 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
The Northern Iowa Panthers and the Evansville Aces meet Thursday in MVC Tournament college basketball action from Enterprise Center in Saint Louis. Here’s a Northern Iowa vs Evansville prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Northern Iowa vs Evansville 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.
Northern Iowa Panthers Betting Preview
Northern Iowa posted a 12-3 record in their opening 15 outings this year. The Panthers lost to Belmont, Bradley, UIC, Valparaiso, Illinois State and Southern Illinois in the next seven games, then hit a 5-2 run with wins over Evansville, Bradley, Murray State, Drake and Indiana State in that time. Since then it’s been a loss to Illinois State and a win over Drake for a 19-12 record.
In the Drake rematch back on Sunday the Panthers were comfortably ahead by the break 39-24. Northern Iowa hit a 36-29 run the rest of the way and cruised to the easy blowout win on the road 75-53 as the game came to a conclusion. Topping the scorers was Will Hornseth with 16 points and four assists while Ben Schwieger added 15 points and three boards.
Evansville Aces Betting Preview
Over on the Aces’ side, they were sitting at 5-13 back in early January, then lost to Bradley, UIC, Drake, Northern Iowa, Indiana State and Valparaiso before beating Illinois State. Losses to Southern Illinois, UIC, Murray State, Belmont and Southern Illinois (with a lone win over Valparaiso) have occurred since then. That gives Evansville a 7-24 record so far this year.
Matched up against Southern Illinois back on Sunday the Aces were trailing 38-27 by the end of the first half. Evansville didn’t end up getting any closer after a 43-40 run from there and took the eventual loss on their home court 81-67. Leading the team in scoring were Joshua Hughes, AJ Casey and Trent Hundley, each with 16 points in the losing effort for the Aces.
Evansville Purple Aces @ Northern Iowa Panthers Betting Trends: March 5, 2026
Why the Northern Iowa Panthers will win
- Evansville has lost 13 of its last 14 night games against the Missouri Valley Conference.
- Northern Iowa has won each of its last four games against Evansville.
- Northern Iowa has won the first half in each of its last three games against Evansville.
Why the Evansville Purple Aces will win
- Northern Iowa has lost six of its last eight games against non-AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Evansville’s last 11 games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 126+ points.
- Each of Northern Iowa’s last six games against the Missouri Valley Conference at neutral venues have produced a total of 127+ points.
Matchup/League Facts
- Northern Iowa ranks 364th among Division 1 teams for free throw attempts per game this season (13.9).
- Northern Iowa ranks 3rd among Division 1 teams for opponent three-point percentage this season (28.2%).
Northern Iowa vs Evansville Prediction
I’ll stay with the Panthers. Northern Iowa didn’t have much trouble in a road win over Drake last weekend, shooting 47.5 percent from the field with just six turnovers. The Panthers held Drake to just 31 percent shooting and scored 26 points off their 15 turnovers. Northern Iowa has lost two of the last three games however, scoring fewer than 70 points in each of those losses.
The Panthers won both games between these teams this year: 62-48 on the road back on January 4 and 71-55 in a home matchup on January 31. In that latest matchup, Northern Iowa managed to shoot a very nice 54.7 percent from the field with a 31-23 rebounding advantage and 22 team assists. The Panthers held the Aces to just 40.4 percent shooting on defense as well. Unless Evansville absolutely catches fire in this one, Northern Iowa should be in firm control.