Fairleigh Dickinson vs Chicago State Prediction 2/19/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights and the Chicago State Cougars will meet on Thursday night in a non‑conference matchup at the Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago State Cougars Betting Preview

The Chicago State Cougars enter Thursday’s contest with a 6–21 win‑loss record, including a 4–10 mark in conference play and a 4-5 record at home. The Cougars have amassed wins over Mercyhurst and Loyola Chicago, while dropping recent games to St. Francis, New Haven, Le Moyne and the Long Island Sharks.

More recently, in the Chicago State Cougars thrilling 78–74 victory over Mercyhurst five days ago, forward CJ Ray delivered a standout performance scoring 37 points (13 of 20 shooting from the field: 4 of 5 shooting from three-point range) showcasing his ability to lead the Cougars offense.

The Chicago State Cougars average 65.3 points on 40.1 percent shooting from the field and 32.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. The Cougars are allowing opponents 78 points per contest which ranks a dreadful 269th in the nation.  

It is noteworthy that these two teams met earlier this season. Who prevailed? Last month, the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights defeated the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 70-63.

Senior forward CJ Ray leads the Chicago State Cougars averaging 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1 steal per game. Senior guard Braelon Bush provides the Cougars with further backcourt depth averaging 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.4 steals per contest.

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights Betting Preview

The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights enter Thursday’s contest with a 10–17 record, including a 7–7 mark in conference play and a 2–12 record on the road. Fairleigh Dickinson has amassed wins over Wagner, Chicago State and Mercyhurst, while losing games to Long Island, New Haven, Minnesota and the Boston College Eagles.

In the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 68-61 win over Wagner earlier this season, Fairleigh Dickinson guard Joey Niesman accumulated 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal showcasing his ability to lead the Knights backcourt.

The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights are averaging 65.5 points on 40 percent shooting from the field and 29.6 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Defensively, the Knights are allowing opponents 72.7 points per contest.

Senior guard Joey Niesman leads the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights averaging 12 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Senior guard Eric Parnall provides additional backcourt depth averaging 11.3 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest, while senior forward Taeshaud Jackson adds 10.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1 steal per contest.

Why the Chicago State Cougars will win

• Frontcourt play. Forward CJ Ray leads the Cougars with 13.7 points per game. Ray amassed 37 points in a defeat of Mercyhurst earlier this month.

• Recent momentum. The Chicago State Cougars have won three of the team’s last four games played this season.

Why the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights will win

• Frontcourt play. Senior forward Taeshaud Jackson adds 10.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1 steal per contest.

• Home court edge. The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights are 5-4 at home this season.

• Defensive edge. The Knights are allowing opponents 72.7 points per game. Conversely, the Cougars are allowing opponents 78 points per contest.

Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Chicago State Prediction

This matchup features Fairleigh Dickinson’s improving backcourt play and Taeshaud Jackson’s interior presence against a Chicago State team that has been competitive at home but inconsistent defensively all season. Fairleigh Dickinson’s guard driven offense, combined with their ability to generate second chance opportunities through Jackson on the glass, gives the Knights a slight but meaningful edge in this matchup. For the reasons just noted, I am backing the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights to cover the 1.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Fairleigh Dickinson -1.5