Grand Canyon Antelopes vs Southern Utah Thunderbirds Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Southern Utah vs Grand Canyon NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Phoenix.

Southern Utah vs Grand Canyon Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Thunderbirds versus the Antelopes? Tip off is at at 8:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at GCU Arena in Phoenix, AZ. The over/under for this Western Athletic conference contest is set at 153.5 points, with Grand Canyon being favored by -17.5 at home against Southern Utah.

Southern Utah vs. Grand Canyon Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Grand Canyon Antelopes
Where: Phoenix at GCU Arena
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds GCAN -17.5, SUTAH +1058 | GCAN -2466 O/U 153.5

Thunderbirds Preview: Can the Thunderbirds Pull the Upset on the Road?

Southern Utah Thunderbirds Recent Game/Games

Southern Utah fell to 5-6 on the season after an 83-75 home loss to Northern Arizona on Saturday. The Thunderbirds were -5.5 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 158, surpassing the pre-game over/under line of 151.5.

Southern Utah led 45-42 at halftime but struggled in the second half, scoring just 30 points while allowing 41. This second-half performance was a key factor in their loss.

Thunderbirds Offense Breakdown

Southern Utah put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 48.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.4%. They hit 56.4% of their two-point attempts and went 6-for-19 from beyond the arc, shooting 31.6% from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they connected on 72.2% of their attempts, going 13-for-18.

Trent McLaughlin led the Thunderbirds with 26 points and 7 assists, shooting 42.3% from the field and 36.4% from three. Jayden Jackson added 23 points, hitting 9 of 13 shots overall and 2 of 3 from deep. Carson Towt contributed 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, while Jamir Simpson chipped in 20 points and 9 boards.

Thunderbirds Team Defense

Southern Utah's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 83 points on 48% shooting from the field. They allowed 56% shooting from two-point range, with the opposing team hitting 22 of 39 shots.

From beyond the arc, Southern Utah's opponents shot 31%, making 6 of 19 attempts. The Thunderbirds also sent them to the line 18 times, where they converted 13 free throws for 72%.

Antelopes Preview: Are the Antelopes Ready for a Home Win?

Grand Canyon Antelopes Recent Game/Games

Grand Canyon improved to 9-4 on the season with a dominant 112-66 win over Bryant on Monday. The Antelopes were -13.5 favorites at home and covered the spread with ease. The total score of 178 points went over the pre-game line of 158.5.

Grand Canyon took control early, leading 61-23 at halftime. While they allowed 43 points in the 2nd half, they still managed to score 51 points of their own to seal the victory.

Antelopes Offense Breakdown

Grand Canyon put up 112 points in their last game, shooting 41% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range. They hit 35 free throws, shooting 79.5% from the line, and grabbed 22 offensive rebounds.

Makaih Williams led the way with 31 points, hitting 3 of 6 from deep. Lök Wur also connected on 3 threes, shooting 60% from beyond the arc, while Ray Harrison hit 3 of 4 from three-point range.

Antelopes Team Defense

Grand Canyon's defense gave up 66 points, with the opposing team shooting 41% from the field on 34 of 83 attempts. They allowed 45% shooting on two-pointers, with the other team making 25 of 55 shots.

From beyond the arc, Grand Canyon's defense held the opposing team to 32% shooting, as they hit 9 of 28 three-point attempts. The other team also went to the free-throw line 44 times, making 35 for 79%. Grand Canyon gave up 22 offensive rebounds.

Thunderbirds vs Antelopes Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Southern Utah has an ATS mark of 6-4. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-7 while averaging 69 points per game.
In their last ten games at home, the Antelopes have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 4-6 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 70 points per game in these contests.
As the betting underdog, the Thunderbirds have an ATS mark of just 2-3 in their last five games. Southern Utah posted a straight up mark of 0-5 in these matchups.
Over the team's last three games as the favorite, the Antelopes struggled vs the spread going just 1-2. However, they still had a straight up mark of 3-0.