College Basketball Odds, Pick | Northwestern vs FAU Basketball Predictions

Northwestern vs FAU is Friday, March 22, at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS.

The Northwestern Wildcats maintained a 9-seed despite losing their first game of the Big Ten tournament to Wisconsin.

The Wildcats have been hammered by injuries, as Ty Berry needed knee surgery about a month ago and Matthew Nicholson will now be out in the NCAA Tournament with a foot injury.

They were already in need of depth, which resulted in meaningful minutes for walk-ons. They'll need all hands on deck against the offensive juggernaut of Florida Atlantic.

The Owls were a Cinderella story last season, and head coach Dusty May wants to improve upon that success.

Northwestern’s leader is Boo Buie, and he can change the game on a dime by himself. With a better supporting cast, Buie could be in shape to make a run in the tournament, but he'll need to take on even more in this game.

He, Ryan Langborg and others will need to hit outside shots to have a chance. The Wildcats are lethal from deep, shooting over 39% as a team. And as any basketball fan knows, hitting 3s can keep a team in a game no matter what.

This is one major concern for the FAU defense, as opponents are shooting about 34% from outside on the Owls. Buie might need to be doubled.

Northwestern’s main issue — especially with Nicholson out — will be rebounding. Nick Martinelli has made some strides, and Blake Preston and Luke Hunger will need to make up for Nicholson being out.

FAU doesn't rebound well on the defensive end, but Vlad Goldin is one to watch on the offensive glass.

Much like the NU big men, Goldin can get into foul trouble, so FAU's guards need to lead the way.

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That said, FAU has more to throw at the Wildcats in the backcourt. The Owls shoot about 36% from 3-point land and have a balanced offense when it comes to inside and outside shooting.

NU is even worse at defending the arc, as opponents are shooting up near 36% on the Wildcats this year. They do rank in the top-75 in Open 3 Rate, per ShotQuality, so this number could be a tad unlucky.

However, Johnell Davis, Alijah Martin, Nick Boyd and Brandon Weatherspoon can all shoot. Bryan Greenlee and Jalen Gaffney are solid, as well. There are too many outside threats for the Wildcats to keep track of, which is partly why the Owls rank top-10 in Open 3 Rate.

NU will also have trouble guarding the interior. FAU ranks top-25 in Rim and 3 Rate, so the Owls get efficient shots from anywhere.

Plus, it's likely that both Hunger and Preston could end up in foul trouble more quickly. Since NU fouls often and doesn't get to the line too much, FAU should own the edge at the charity stripe.

FAU just has more threats on offense than a short-handed Northwestern team right now.

If Nicholson and Berry were in this lineup, NU could take down some giants. It just seems like the Wildcats are limping into the tournament (literally and figuratively), so FAU could win with depth.

Take the Owls to -4.5.

Pick: FAU -3 (Play to -4.5)