South Dakota State vs. Providence picks, predictions, odds: Who wins NCAA Tournament game?
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No. 13 seed South Dakota State and No. 4 seed Providence face off on Thursday in an NCAA Tournament first round game.
The game is scheduled for 9:40 a.m. MST and can be seen on truTV.
Who will win the game?
Check out these odds, picks and predictions for the contest.
Providence is a 1.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
It is -135 on the money line and South Dakota State is +110.
The over/under for the game is set at 149.5 points.
NCAA Tournament schedule, odds, picks:
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Sporting News: Take Providence in game vs. South Dakota State
Kyle Irving writes: "While NET and KenPom rankings would lead you to Providence, the two-point spread between these teams tells you all you need to know about how close this matchup could be. The major difference-maker in this one will be defense. The Friars will have to lock in on that end of the floor because South Dakota State's 86.7 points per game ranks third in the nation. However, the Jackrabbits are often involved in shootouts, as they allow 73.4 points per game. Providence's size inside with senior center Watson poses a threat for a smaller South Dakota State team that often runs with a perimeter-oriented lineup, but the Friars will also have to keep up with the Jackrabbits' perimeter shooting. South Dakota State knocks down nearly 10 3s per game, which places them in the top 25 in the country. Even though the Jackrabbits are on fire, I like Providence's experienced upperclassmen roster, led by Big East Coach of the Year Ed Cooley, to hold off a team hungry for an upset."
Thursday's NCAA Tournament game predictions:
Vermont-Arkansas | San Francisco-Murray St. | Creighton-SDSU
Indiana-St. Mary's | Texas Southern-Kansas | NCAA title odds
Fansided: Take South Dakota State with the points vs. Providence
Reed Wallach writes: "People have been calling for Providence's downfall since December, and guess what ladies and gentlemen, you'll get your chance to see it. South Dakota State boasts an elite offense that is No. 1 in effective field goal percentage and 12th in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. The team does struggle on the offensive glass and can be gashed inside, but the Jackrabbits are more than game to get into a track meet with the Friars. Providence has a big man in Nate Watson that can attack SDSU inside, but the team's defense doesn't force turnovers at all (315th in turnover rate this season), and the SDSU should operate with relative ease. This comes down to if Providence can match the Jackrabbits on offense. I don't trust the team's shot making to keep up. Ed Cooley's bunch is 194th in effective field goal percentage over the last month, per barttorvik.com, and I think we see South Dakota State build an early lead and hold on because Providence can't force turnovers."
Friday's NCAA Tournament game predictions:
College Football News: Providence 74, South Dakota State 71
Pete Fiutak writes: Providence can defend the three. South Dakota State has more to its overall game than just the outside shot, and it’ll come down with a few threes, but Villanova is the only team to hit more than nine threes against the Friars over the last 14 games and South Dakota State is no Villanova. Providence can’t let this game get out of hand. It has to be in control from the start and slow this down, and it has to come up with free throws late. The team isn’t great on the line – South Dakota State is – but it makes the ones it desperately has to. The Jackrabbits will go on a late run of threes to keep this tight, but Providence will go Providence and pull this out with a late score."
Picks and Parlays: South Dakota State 80, Providence 76
It writes: "South Dakota State has played exceptionally well down the stretch as the Jackrabbits have 21 consecutive games straight up. South Dakota State averages 87.2 points per game which is second in the nation and has the best field goal percentage in the country at 52.7%. Providence has failed to cover the number in seven of its last 10 as a chalk and that trend will continue on Thursday as the Friars will come up short."
More: March Madness odds: Gonzaga, Arizona, Kentucky favorites in 2022 men's NCAA Tournament
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Betting Pros: Go with South Dakota State with the points
It writes: "This could be one of the most fun games of the entire first round of the NCAA Tournament. Ed Cooley led his Friars to the Big East regular-season title, but many had doubts about how strong Providence really was. The Friars didn’t do much to dissuade the naysayers in the conference tournament, as they got run off the floor by Creighton in the semifinals. South Dakota State, on the other hand, can score with any team in the country. They averaged 86.7 points per game – second-highest in the nation – and they boast a 30-win season to go along with a spotless 18-0 record in one of the strongest mid-major conferences you’ll find."
ESPN: Providence has a 60% chance to win
The site's Basketball Power Index gives South Dakota State a 40% chance to win the game.
More: NCAA Tournament schedule, TV information: How to watch 2022 men's March Madness games
More: NCAA Tournament odds: Money lines, point spreads, over/unders for March Madness games
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: South Dakota State vs. Providence picks, predictions NCAA Tournament
