North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs South Dakota State Jackrabbits

This NCAAB matchup features North Dakota Fighting Hawks (16-14 (9-7)) traveling to take on South Dakota State Jackrabbits (12-16 (8-4)) at First Bank & Trust Arena, Brookings, SD. These two teams are closely matched, with both squads posting similar scoring differentials this season. This projects as a competitive contest that could go either way. S Dakota St averages 75.4 points per game, but they face a North Dakota defense that holds opponents to 77.2 PPG. The visitors' defensive prowess could limit the home team's scoring output. The North Dakota offense puts up 77.4 PPG and faces a S Dakota St defense allowing 72.6 PPG. The visitors have the offensive firepower to stay in this one. Home court advantage is worth approximately 3.5 points in NCAAB, and S Dakota St will look to leverage their home crowd. Our model projects S Dakota St to win by approximately 3.7 points. The 68% confidence interval ranges from S Dakota St winning by 17 to losing by 10. The market has this game at -6.5, but our model sees value on North Dakota with a 2.8-point edge. Our line: S Dakota St -3.7. Combined with the total projection of 153 versus the market line of 151.5, there are opportunities to find value on both sides of this matchup.

S Dakota St has struggled this season at 12-16 (8-4). The wins have been hard to come by, and the team is looking for answers on both ends of the floor. Home court advantage will be critical for any chance at pulling off an upset. North Dakota sits at 16-14 (9-7) on the season. They've been competitive in most outings but have had their share of inconsistent performances. On the road, they'll need to bring their best effort to come away with a win. When these teams meet, the home team typically has the edge given the crowd advantage and familiarity factor. The team that controls tempo and limits turnovers will likely dictate the outcome of this matchup.