Northern Colorado Bears vs South Dakota State Jackrabbits Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Northern Colorado vs South Dakota State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Hot Springs.

Northern Colorado vs South Dakota State Prediction

Planning on watching today's Bears and Jackrabbits game? Catch the action at Summit Arena in Hot Springs, AR, as the Jackrabbits hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on Summ. The odds for this non-conference game currently have South Dakota State as the -3 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 154.5 points.

Northern Colorado vs. South Dakota State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Northern Colorado Bears at South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Where: Hot Springs at Summit Arena
Date: Thursday, November 14th
Betting Odds SDKST -3, NCOL +123 | SDKST -150 O/U 154.5

Bears Preview: Can Northern Colorado Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Northern Colorado put up a strong fight against Colorado on Friday, losing 90-88 in a game where they were +13 point underdogs. The Bears managed to cover the spread, keeping the game much closer than expected.

After trailing 32-30 at halftime, Northern Colorado outscored Colorado 37-35 in the second half. The game’s total points of 178 went over the pre-game line of 151.5.

Bears Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, Northern Colorado put up 88 points, shooting 43.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.4%. They connected on 13 of 36 three-point attempts, hitting 36.1% from deep, while shooting 50% on two-point attempts.

Elijah Malone led the way with 27 points, shooting 66.7% from the field. Jaron Rillie added 16 points, hitting 5 threes at a 55.6% rate, and dished out 7 assists. The Bears recorded 18 assists as a team and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds.

Bears Team Defense

Despite Northern Colorado's defensive struggles, they sent their opponent to the line 41 times, where they converted 31 free throws, contributing significantly to the 90 points allowed. The Bears also gave up 11 offensive rebounds, leading to additional scoring opportunities.

From the field, Northern Colorado's defense allowed 46% shooting, with their opponent hitting 27 of 58 shots. Inside the arc, they were particularly vulnerable, allowing 55% shooting on two-point attempts (22/40). However, they did limit damage from beyond the arc, where their opponent shot just 27%, making 5 of 18 three-point attempts.

Jackrabbits Preview: Will the Jackrabbits Find a Way to Win at Home?

South Dakota State Jackrabbits Recent Game/Games

The Jackrabbits narrowly edged out Long Beach State 80-79 on Friday, November 8th, in a home game. Despite being favored by 9.5 points, South Dakota State didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 159, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 145.

South Dakota State led 37-30 at halftime but allowed 49 points in the second half while scoring 43 themselves. The Jackrabbits will need to tighten up defensively moving forward.

Jackrabbits Offense Breakdown

South Dakota State put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 51.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.1%. They connected on 38.5% of their threes, going 5-for-13, and hit 70.8% from the free-throw line, making 17 of 24 attempts.

Devin Askew led the way with 27 points and 8 assists, despite shooting just 25% overall and from three. Oscar Cluff and TJ Wainwright each added 23 points, with Cluff grabbing 14 rebounds and shooting 58.3% from the field.

Jackrabbits Team Defense

South Dakota State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 79 points on 51% shooting from the field. The Jackrabbits allowed 24 two-point baskets on 43 attempts, a 55% success rate for their opponent.

From beyond the arc, South Dakota State's defense conceded 5 threes on 13 attempts, with their opponent shooting 38%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 24 times, where they converted 17, a 70% free-throw percentage. The Jackrabbits allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Bears vs Jackrabbits Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past ten road matchups, Northern Colorado has an ATS record of 7-3 while averaging 82 per game. The team went 5-5 overall in these games.
When looking at their past five home matchups, South Dakota State has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 73 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
Through their last three games as the betting underdog, the Bears have a strong record vs the spread going 3-0. Their straight up mark in these contests is 1-2.
South Dakota State has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.