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South Dakota Coyotes vs St. Thomas (MN) Tommies Picks and Predictions – January 7, 2026
South Dakota hits the road for a Summit League matchup against St. Thomas (MN) on Wednesday night at the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, with tipoff scheduled for 9:00 PM ET. The Coyotes are double-digit underdogs at +13.5 after a rocky start to conference play, while the Tommies come in 13–3 overall, dominating at home and surging up the standings. This is a tough spot for a South Dakota squad still searching for an identity on both ends of the floor.
The total is a high 162.5, which speaks to both teams’ offensive tendencies and lack of defensive resistance. St. Thomas ranks among the most efficient scoring teams in the Summit, while South Dakota leans on pace and transition to hang around. But against a disciplined team like the Tommies — especially one that doesn’t beat itself — covering this number may require a hot shooting night or major help at the foul line.
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South Dakota Coyotes vs St. Thomas (MN) Tommies Odds
Here are the current odds for Wednesday night’s Summit League matchup. Make sure to track the latest college basketball odds for real-time line movement.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota Coyotes | +800 | +13.5 (-110) | O 162.5 (-110) |
| St. Thomas (MN) Tommies | -1300 | -13.5 (-110) | U 162.5 (-110) |
South Dakota Coyotes Betting Form
South Dakota is just 6–9 on the season and enters this one on a three-game skid, giving up over 85 points per game in that stretch. They want to push tempo and play fast, but it often leads to poor shot selection, quick possessions, and defensive mismatches in transition. The Coyotes rely heavily on guard play, but their assist-to-turnover ratio has been trending in the wrong direction as conference play ramps up.
They’re particularly vulnerable defensively — bottom-tier in the Summit in points allowed per possession and defensive rebounding rate. When teams stretch them out, South Dakota struggles to contain dribble penetration and close out to shooters. They need everything to fall offensively to keep pace, and when shots aren’t dropping, things get out of hand quickly. Keep an eye on the South Dakota injury report for any availability concerns. For more performance metrics, visit the South Dakota stats and results.
St. Thomas (MN) Tommies Betting Form
St. Thomas (MN) has been a buzzsaw at home, sitting 8–0 in their building this season with a top-two offensive rating in the conference. They play clean, half-court basketball with a deliberate pace — they don’t turn it over, shoot extremely well from three, and execute set plays better than most mid-majors. Their ability to stretch the floor with shooters at every position forces defenses to pick their poison, and they capitalize with inside-out action.
Defensively, they’re not elite, but they don’t need to be. Their offense consistently creates scoreboard pressure, forcing opponents to play from behind. They also rebound well for their size and don’t commit unnecessary fouls, which limits free throw attempts for teams like South Dakota that need those points to stay within a number. Before betting, check the St. Thomas (MN) injury report and track their St. Thomas (MN) schedule and stats for more insights.
South Dakota Coyotes vs St. Thomas (MN) Tommies Matchup Breakdown
This is a true contrast in styles: South Dakota wants chaos and pace, while St. Thomas thrives on structure and execution. The problem for South Dakota is that they haven’t shown the ability to win ugly — and that’s often what you need to do to compete with a team as methodical as the Tommies. If St. Thomas controls tempo, this could get lopsided quickly.
South Dakota doesn’t rebound well or defend the three, and those are two core weaknesses you can’t afford against a high-efficiency, spread-it-out offense. The Coyotes will try to run, but St. Thomas is strong at limiting transition and recovering defensively after missed shots. Expect the Tommies to dictate tempo from the start and force South Dakota into uncomfortable half-court possessions.
- South Dakota: poor rebounding and transition defense
- St. Thomas: elite ball security and perimeter shooting
- High total, but with a real blowout risk
- St. Thomas has covered 4 of last 5 at home vs sub-.500 teams
For more matchup analysis and Summit League betting strategies, check out our college basketball betting guide.
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South Dakota Coyotes vs St. Thomas (MN) Tommies Predictions and Best Bets
There’s always risk in laying big numbers in conference games, but St. Thomas is built to cover these kinds of spreads. They don’t beat themselves, they score at will in their building, and they’re facing a Coyotes team that bleeds points and lacks depth. Unless South Dakota shoots well above their season average from deep, they’re not keeping this close for long. I lean St. Thomas -13.5 and would play it to -14.
As for the total, it’s high — and rightfully so — but blowout script games like this can sometimes stall out late. If South Dakota can’t contribute 70+ to the scoreboard, this stays under. That said, if they make enough threes early to force tempo, the Over is very live. No strong position here, but lean slightly to the Over.
Best Bet: St. Thomas (MN) -13.5 (-110)
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