SIU-Edwardsville vs North Florida Prediction 12/2/2025 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The North Florida Ospreys and the SIU Edwardsville Cougars will meet on Tuesday evening in a non‑conference contest at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

North Florida Ospreys Betting Preview

The North Florida Ospreys enter Tuesday’s contest with a 2–5 record. North Florida has compiled wins over New College of Florida and Trinity Baptist, while dropping games to Florida, Tennessee, Wofford, Southern Miss, and Prairie View A&M. In the North Florida Ospreys 111–67 win over Trinity Baptist three days ago, forward Trey Cady tallied 22 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the field and 2 of 4 shooting from three-point range.

The North Florida Ospreys are averaging 74.6 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 38.2 percent shooting from the three‑point line. Defensively, the Ospreys have allowed opponents 93.2 points per game, ranking near the bottom nationally.

Senior guard Kamrin Oriol has been a solid performer for North Florida, averaging 17.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal per game. Sophomore guard Kent Jackson is averaging 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. Senior forward Dalton Gayman is averaging 9.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

SIU Edwardsville Cougars Betting Preview

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars enter Tuesday’s contest with a 5–3 record. SIUE has compiled wins over Alabama State, Drake and Alabama State, while losing games to Wisconsin, Air Force and the Indiana State Sycamores. In the SIU Edwardsville Cougars win over the Alabama State Hornets last month, guard Jordan Pickett tallied 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

The SIU Edwardsville Cougars are averaging 68 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the field. The Cougars are allowing opponents 70.3 points on 37 percent shooting from the field (13th in country) per game.

Senior guard Ring Malith leads the Cougars with 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1 steal per game. Senior forward Myles Thompson is averaging 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1 assist a contest. Senior forward Jo Valrie averages 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Why the North Florida Ospreys Will Win

•            Perimeter scoring. Oriol and Jackson provide consistent guard play.

•            Home court advantage. UNF Arena gives them a boost after a tough road stretch.

Why the SIU Edwardsville Cougars Will Win

•            Balanced scoring. SIU Edwardsville Cougars guards Ring Malith and Myles Thompson are averaging over 11 points a game.

•            Defensive efficiency. Through 8 games played this season, the SIU Edwardsville Cougars are allowing opponents to shoot just 37 percent from the field per game which ranks 13th in the nation.

•            Momentum. The SIU Edwardsville Cougars enter tomorrow night’s contest on a two‑game winning streak.

SIU Edwardsville vs. North Florida Prediction

North Florida’s best chance to stay competitive lies in pushing tempo and leaning on Kamrin Oriol’s scoring. The Ospreys average over 82 points per game, but their defensive inefficiency has been a glaring issue against stronger opponents. If they can get hot from three and limit turnovers, they can keep the margin tight through the first half.

SIU Edwardsville, by contrast, thrives on defense and balanced scoring. The Cougars allow just 65.9 points per game and have multiple double‑digit scorers who can spread the floor. Their ability to control tempo and rebound effectively makes them well‑equipped to wear down North Florida over 40 minutes.

Ultimately, this matchup comes down to efficiency. North Florida has the offensive talent to make runs, but SIUE’s defense and depth should prove decisive. Expect the Ospreys to compete early, but the Cougars’ defensive intensity and balanced attack will gradually separate them in the second half. I am backing SIU Edwardsville to cover the 5.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: SIU Edwardsville -5.5