Denver Pioneers vs Sacramento State Hornets Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Sacramento State vs Denver NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Denver.

Sacramento State vs Denver Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Hornets and Pioneers. The game is starting at 9:00 ET on Summ, and it's hosted by the Pioneers at Hamilton Gymnasium in Denver, CO. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 140.5 points, with Denver being favored by -2.5 over Sacramento State.

Sacramento State vs. Denver Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Sacramento State Hornets at Denver Pioneers
Where: Denver at Hamilton Gymnasium
Date: Wednesday, December 4th
Betting Odds DEN -2.5, SACST +122 | DEN -150 O/U 140.5

Hornets Preview: Do the Hornets Stand a Chance in Denver?

On Saturday, Sacramento State fell to 1-6 on the season after a 66-60 home loss to Mercyhurst. The Hornets, who were -7.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 33-22 at halftime, Sacramento State scored 38 points in the second half while allowing 33. The game’s total points of 126 fell just under the O/U line of 129.5.

Hornets Offense Breakdown

Sacramento State managed just 60 points in their last game, shooting 40.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 48.9%. They hit 36.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 22 attempts, and went 14-for-20 from the free-throw line, good for 70%.

Bernie Blunt III led the way with 25 points, shooting 66.7% overall and 62.5% from three, hitting 5 of 8 attempts. Jeff Planutis added 20 points, knocking down 4 threes on 10 attempts, while Jacob Holt contributed 15 points and 6 rebounds.

Hornets Team Defense

Even with Sacramento State's defense holding them to 66 points, the Hornets managed to shoot 40% from the field, connecting on 19 of their 47 attempts. Inside the arc, they hit 44% of their shots, going 11/25.

From three-point range, Sacramento State went 8/22, shooting 36%. They also made 14 of their 20 free-throw attempts, finishing at 70% from the line. The Hornets grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.

Pioneers Preview: Will Denver Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

Denver Pioneers Recent Game/Games

The Pioneers dropped to 1-5 on the season after a 101-90 loss to the Pilots on Sunday. Denver entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 191, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 148.5.

Denver trailed 39-30 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Portland 40-31. Despite the strong 2nd half, the Pioneers couldn’t overcome the deficit from the 1st half.

Pioneers Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, the Denver Pioneers put up 90 points, shooting 40.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 46.9%, with a 56.1% success rate on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they hit just 25%, making 10 of 40 threes, but were efficient at the free-throw line, converting 87.5% of their attempts (14/16).

Vukasin Masic led the way with 27 points and 4 assists, shooting 53.3% overall. Austin Rapp and Nicholas Shogbonyo each contributed 20 points, with Rapp hitting 42.9% of his threes. Denver recorded 20 assists as a team, with 5 offensive rebounds.

Pioneers Team Defense

Defensively, the Pioneers allowed 101 points, with their opponents shooting 48% from the field. Denver struggled to contain two-point shots, as their opponents hit 60% of their attempts (21/35).

From beyond the arc, Denver's defense gave up 10 threes on 29 attempts, a 34% shooting rate. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 34 times, where they converted 29 free throws (85%).

Hornets vs Pioneers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last five road contests, Sacramento State has a 4-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-4, while averaging 64 points per game.
Although Denver has a straight up record of 0-3 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 74 points per game in these games.
As the betting underdog, the Hornets have an ATS mark of just 8-2 in their last ten games. Sacramento State posted a straight up mark of 4-6 in these matchups.
Looking back on the team's last five games as the favorite, the Pioneers have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.