South Dakota Coyotes vs Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Game Preview
South Dakota heads to Tulsa on Saturday night for a Summit matchup with Oral Roberts at the Mabee Center, and the market is basically calling this a coin flip. Oral Roberts is laying 1 at home, while South Dakota is priced as a slight underdog despite owning the better overall record. That tells you the oddsmakers are giving weight to venue and game state, even though Oral Roberts’ season-long results haven’t been strong. With a total sitting at 152.5, the market is also expecting both teams to find points, which makes sense given South Dakota’s scoring baseline and its ability to create free throws.
This is also the type of matchup where you don’t want to get fooled by records alone. South Dakota has been the more productive offensive team, but it has struggled on the road. Oral Roberts has been inconsistent all season, yet it has been more competitive at home and has enough shot-making to punish a sloppy opponent. The betting decision comes down to whether you trust South Dakota’s offense and free-throw profile to travel, or whether you see Oral Roberts’ home setting as enough to keep this in a one-possession game either way.
South Dakota Coyotes vs Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should keep tracking movement throughout the day on the latest college basketball odds board.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota Coyotes | -103 | +1.0 (-110) | O 152.5 (-110) |
| Oral Roberts Golden Eagles | -118 | -1.0 (-110) | U 152.5 (-110) |
South Dakota Coyotes Betting Form
South Dakota comes in off a tough 90-70 loss at Denver, but there were still individual signs that matter for this matchup. Cameron Fens produced a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Vince Buzelis added 19, which tells you the Coyotes can still generate points even when the overall defensive result is poor. That’s important because South Dakota’s best chance here is to win the scoring math, not to grind this into a low-possession game.
The Coyotes average 80.7 points per game, and their free-throw profile is a real weapon. Ranking highly in free throws made per game gives them a stable scoring base even in road environments where jump shooting can be less consistent. In a spread this small, those “clock stopped” points often decide the outcome, because you don’t need a perfect offensive game to win, you just need to avoid empty possessions and keep pressure on the scoreboard. The road record at 4-9 is the concern, but South Dakota has already shown it can win a tough road spot, including a recent win at South Dakota State. If the Coyotes protect the ball, avoid foul trouble on the other end, and keep getting to the line, they should be positioned to win this game outright. Monitor South Dakota injury report before tip.
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Betting Form
Oral Roberts is 6-22, and the record is what it is, but the home environment is still the reason they’re a small favorite. The Golden Eagles have been more competitive at the Mabee Center, and they have enough scoring from their main options to stay in games when they’re not giving away possessions. They’re coming off an 80-71 loss at Omaha, yet Ty Harper and Luke Gray both scored 20, and Harper was extremely efficient. That kind of concentrated scoring is exactly how Oral Roberts can win a game like this, because it can keep the offense functional even when depth production is limited.
The Golden Eagles average 71.7 points per game and they make 8.4 threes per game, which is their best path to beating a team that can score more consistently overall. If Oral Roberts hits a normal share of threes and stays solid at the line, it can keep South Dakota from creating separation. The bigger key is defense and rebounding. Oral Roberts doesn’t have to shut South Dakota down, but it does need to reduce the Coyotes’ free-throw attempts and make them score through halfcourt shot-making rather than foul drawing. If it sends South Dakota to the line repeatedly, it’s hard to win a close game because those possessions eliminate variance. Monitor Oral Roberts injury report before tip.
South Dakota Coyotes vs Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Matchup Breakdown
This matchup is a game of possessions and free throws. South Dakota’s advantage is offensive output and the ability to create points at the line, which tends to travel well because it doesn’t depend on hot shooting. Oral Roberts’ advantage is home court and the ability to generate scoring bursts through threes and a few key creators. That sets up a clear “who controls style” battle. If South Dakota is getting downhill, drawing contact, and turning the game into a free-throw-heavy night, it’s hard for Oral Roberts to keep pace without an above-average shooting performance.
The total at 152.5 is close to where the game can land if both teams hit their normal outputs, but the under lean makes sense if efficiency drops. Road games can create poorer shot quality, and both teams have enough inconsistency in field goal percentage that a few empty stretches can pull the final number down quickly. The side is also more stable than the total here, because the spread is essentially asking you to pick the better offensive profile in a near pick’em with minimal points.
South Dakota Coyotes vs Oral Roberts Golden Eagles Predictions and Best Bets
I lean South Dakota +1.0. In a number that’s basically a pick’em, I prefer the team with the stronger scoring baseline and the more reliable “travel skill,” and getting to the free-throw line is exactly that. South Dakota’s ability to draw fouls and convert at the stripe gives it a stable way to score even if the jump shot is average, and that matters in a game where one empty possession can decide the final margin. Oral Roberts has a path at home if it hits threes and keeps South Dakota off the line, but the safer side is taking the point with the team that can create efficient scoring without needing an outlier shooting night.
On the total, I lean under 152.5, but it’s tight. The projection sits right on the number and the over can land if the game becomes foul-heavy late or if Oral Roberts shoots well from deep. Still, if either team has a cold stretch, 152.5 can be a difficult climb. That’s why the spread is the better angle than the total.
Best Bet: South Dakota +1.0 (-110).
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
When you’re betting near pick’em conference games, your best edge usually comes from identifying the one repeatable scoring advantage that decides close finishes. In this matchup, South Dakota’s ability to create free throws is the clearest separator, because free throws stabilize the offense, reduce variance, and help an underdog cash even when the shooting is not perfect. Oral Roberts’ counter is to turn this into a three-point game, both literally and stylistically. If the Golden Eagles are hitting threes and keeping the Coyotes from living at the line, the home favorite becomes far more viable, and the game can flip in a hurry on one run.
Before you lock in your play, start with NCAAB picks to see how the Saturday slate is being attacked and whether the market is leaning toward favorites or dogs in similar coin-flip spots. Then compare pricing and any late movement on the college basketball odds board, because spreads around +1 and -1 often move quickly based on late lineup news, travel updates, or sharp action. If you’re building a full card, the NCAAB previews hub helps you stay organized by start time, which matters when you’re managing multiple tips across different conferences.
Finally, use the handicappers leaderboard to track long-term performance and identify cappers who consistently win in small-spread conference games, where the best handicap is often about foul rates, shot profile, and late-game execution rather than overall record.




