South Dakota State vs. Arkansas Prediction and Odds for Wednesday, November 16 (Jackrabbits Can Cover)
By Peter Dewey
Two elite offenses square off in college basketball on Wednesday night with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits taking on the No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks.
Arkansas is 2-0 on the season and off to a very efficient start as well, per KenPom’s rankings. Eric Musselman’s team ranks fifth in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency and 33rd in adjusted offensive efficiency.
That’s going to make things tough on a Jackrabbits team that thrives on offense but struggles on the defensive end, ranking 162nd in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Jackrabbits can shoot the ball with the best of them, but is that enough to keep up with Arkansas?
Here are the latest odds:
South Dakota State vs. Arkansas Odds, Spread and Total
South Dakota State vs. Arkansas Prediction and Pick
The Jackrabbits made the NCAA Tournament last season, and they have a balanced offensive attack, posting a 53.0 percent effective field goal percentage. The team is shooting 33.3 percent from beyond the arc this season, which could help it keep things close with an Arkansas team that does most of its scoring inside the arc.
Musselman’s squad is an elite defense, so this is a clash of two teams with contrasting styles, as the Jackrabbits don’t profile well on that end of the floor.
Still, South Dakota State is 2-1 with a one-point loss to Akron and wins over the Boise State Broncos and St. Bonaventure Bonnies. This team can compete with higher major teams, so this double-digit spread may be selling it a little short.
There are certain places, such as DraftKings, where you can grab the Jackrabbits at +15 in this game.
I think they at least keep this game close with Arkansas, especially if they can shoot the 3 at a high rate tonight. Arkansas is just 319th in the country in 3-point percentage, so even if it has a good offensive game, I don’t think it runs away with this matchup against a proven Jackrabbits squad.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.