NCAA Basketball: UNC vs NC State among top local/in-state matchups

These two in-state matchups come from the states of Ohio and Montana as these mid-major teams look to win their conferences.

Game Match Up

Teams and Records: Cleveland State (11-8) and Wright State (11-8)

Date: January 21st

Time: 7 PM EST

Channel/Streaming: ESPN+

Team Profiles heading into this game

Wright State

Best Wins: At Louisville (73-72), Bowling Green (80-71), Weber State (87-65), Detroit Mercy (90-85), and at Milwaukee (78-74)

Notable Defeats: Davidson (102-97 2OT), UC Riverside (65-70), Youngstown State (77-88), at Western Kentucky (60-64), and at Akron (54-66), and at Northern Kentucky (64-78)

KenPom Ranking: 213

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 174

Sagarin Ranking: 185

Net Ranking: 213

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: One

Cleveland State

Best Wins: At Canisius (58-57), Oakland (80-64), Detroit Mercy (92-77), at Purdue Fort Wayne (72-60), and at Robert Morris 63-54)

Notable Defeats: At Cincinnati (58-69), at Ohio (70-81), at St. Bonaventure (42-61), Kent State (58-67), at LMU (59-70), at Youngstown State (71-85), and Milwaukee (64-68)

KenPom Ranking: 180

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 187

Sagarin Ranking: 186

Net Ranking: 152

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: One

Rivalry History and Game Prediction

Last 10 games of this rivalry: The Raiders have won seven out of the previous ten games against the Vikings.

Current Win Streak: Wright State has won the last game between these two schools, having a one-game winning streak in this rivalry.

The last meeting between both schools: The Raiders defeated the Vikings at a neutral site by a final score of 82-67.

Prediction: Wright State 83 Cleveland State 71

Game Match Up

Teams and Records: Montana State (12-8) and Montana (9-10)

Date: January 21st

Time: 9 PM EST

Channel/Streaming: ESPN+

Team Profiles heading into this game

Montana State

Best Wins: At Long Beach State (70-57), at North Dakota (81-71), Idaho (72-58), at Northern Colorado (77-56), and Weber State (67-52)

Notable Defeats: At Grand Canyon (54-60), at Oregon (51-81), Quinnipiac (53-70), Middle Tennessee State (71-72), at Arizona (64-85), and Eastern Washington (67-70)

KenPom Ranking: 125

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 104

Sagarin Ranking: 130

Net Ranking: 112

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: One

Quadrant 3 Wins: One

Montana

Best Wins: South Dakota State (81-56), at North Dakota State (82-75), Idaho (67-56), and at Northern Colorado

Notable Defeats: At Duquesne (63-91), at Xavier (64-86), Troy (62-73), at Air Force (56-59), at Southern Miss (54-64), at Gonzaga (75-85), Eastern Washington (80-87), and at Northern Arizona 74-75)

KenPom Ranking: 169

College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 193

Sagarin Ranking: 183

Net Ranking: 176

Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero

Quadrant 2 Victories: Zero

Quadrant 3 Wins: One

Rivalry History and Game Prediction

Last 10 games of this rivalry: The Grizzlies have won eight out of the previous ten games against the Bobcats.

Current Win Streak:  Montana has won the last game between these two schools, having a one-game winning streak in this rivalry.

The last meeting between both schools: The Grizzlies defeated the Bobcats at home by a final score of 80-74.

Prediction: Montana State 75, Montana 72