Denver Pioneers vs South Dakota State Jackrabbits Matchup

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

Denver vs South Dakota State Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Pioneers and Jackrabbits. The game is starting at 9:00 ET on CBSS, and it's hosted by the Jackrabbits at First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings, SD. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this Summit conference contest is set at 151.5 points, with South Dakota State being favored by -15.5 at home against Denver.

Denver vs. South Dakota State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Denver Pioneers at South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Where: Brookings at First Bank & Trust Arena
Date: Thursday, January 2nd
Betting Odds SDKST -15.5, DEN +841 | SDKST -1644 O/U 151.5

Pioneers Preview: Will Denver Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?

Denver fell to 3-9 on the season after an 82-75 loss to Northern Colorado on Saturday. The Pioneers, who were +6 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 157 went over the O/U line of 154.5.

Denver led 42-36 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 33 points while allowing 46.

Pioneers Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, the Denver Pioneers put up 75 points, shooting 51.1% from the field and hitting 60% of their threes (12/20). Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 63.8%, though they struggled inside, making just 44.4% of their two-point attempts.

Offensively, Brock Wisne and Nicholas Shogbonyo each contributed 21 points, with Wisne shooting 85.7% and Shogbonyo 77.8%. Josh Lee was perfect from the field, going 5/5 and 3/3 from deep, while Langston Reynolds added 21 points and 5 assists.

Pioneers Team Defense

Denver's defense struggled, giving up 82 points on 51% shooting from the field. They allowed 12 threes on just 20 attempts, with the opponent hitting 60% from deep.

From the free-throw line, the opponent went 15/21, shooting 71%. Denver did limit offensive rebounds, giving up just 2 in the game.

Jackrabbits Preview: Is A Home Victory Likely for the Favored Jackrabbits?

South Dakota State Jackrabbits Recent Game/Games

South Dakota State fell to 6-6 on the season after a 105-82 road loss to Alabama on Sunday. The Jackrabbits entered the game as +22.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 187, surpassing the O/U line of 166.5.

Trailing 57-33 at halftime, the Jackrabbits managed to score 49 points in the 2nd half but couldn’t slow down Alabama, who put up 48 points after the break.

Jackrabbits Offense Breakdown

South Dakota State put up 82 points in their last game, shooting 42.3% from the field. They connected on 11 of 26 three-point attempts, also at 42.3%, and hit 84.6% of their free throws, going 11 for 13 from the line. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.7%, and they grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, with 13 assists as a team.

Aden Holloway led the way with 26 points, hitting 8 threes on 19 attempts. Labaron Philon and Oscar Cluff each added 21 points, with Cluff also pulling down 15 rebounds. Mark Sears contributed 20 points, making 6 threes, while Grant Nelson was efficient, shooting 87.5% from the field and finishing with 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Jackrabbits Team Defense

South Dakota State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 105 points on 47% shooting from the field. The Jackrabbits allowed 37 made baskets on 78 attempts, including 19 threes on 55 attempts, for a 34% three-point shooting rate.

The Jackrabbits also sent their opponents to the line 16 times, where they made 12 free throws, shooting 75%. South Dakota State gave up 17 offensive rebounds in the game.

Pioneers vs Jackrabbits Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last three road contests, Denver has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 73 points per game.
Through their last three home games, South Dakota State has an ATS record of just 0-3. However, their overall record was 0-3 while averaging 71 points per game.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Denver has an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 1-4 straight up.
As the betting favorite, the Jackrabbits have an ATS mark of just 6-4 in their last ten games. South Dakota State posted a straight up mark of 8-2 in these matchups.