CSU NORTHRIDGE MATADORS @ KANSAS ST WILDCATS

Both teams arrive after opening losses

CSUN fell 79-67 at Wichita State, while Kansas State lost its home opener 68-66 to South Dakota State.

CSUN showed late-game fight in Wichita

CSUN cut the deficit to one with 6:23 remaining before Wichita State pulled away; Mikah Ballew scored 17, Josiah Davis had 15 points and six assists, and Keziah Ekissi added 11.

Davis anchors a largely new Matador group

Josiah Davis returns after ranking fourth nationally with 253 assists last season, while CSUN brings back only two letterwinners from its 20-win team.

N'Diaye provided a bright spot for K-State

Pape N'Diaye came off the bench for 18 points and eight rebounds in under 20 minutes, leading Kansas State in both categories.

Expected starters point to a Davis-Ballew backcourt

The published probable lineup has Josiah Davis, Mikah Ballew and Brooklyn Hicks starting for CSUN, with Jael Martin and BJ Omot up front; Kansas State lists Brandon Rechsteiner and Jaden Schutt in the backcourt.

A long gap since the previous meeting

Kansas State leads the series 2-0, with both wins in Manhattan; the last was a 91-46 result in 1987.

No injury update reported in the preview

The preview lists probable starters but no injury or availability updates.

Pick Ideas

Angles drawn from the matchup analysis above and refreshed as the news changes. They are a separate read from the LineCrush pick for this matchup, so the two can land on different sides.

Lean: CSUN +10.5

A double-digit cushion is attractive with both teams finding their footing after Kansas State's narrow home loss, though its home-court edge warrants a modest stake.

Lean: Under 159.5

The 159.5 total looks high after both teams scored fewer than 70 in their openers, though one game is a limited sample and CSUN had a higher-scoring profile last season.