The #15 South Dakota State Jackrabbits (22-12) match up with the #2 Iowa State Cyclones (27-7) in the 1st round of the NCAA tournament Thursday night. The Jackrabbits are making their 7th tournament appearance and seeking their first-ever tournament win. The Cyclones on the other hand are coming off a Big 12 tournament title, which was capped off with a dominant win over Houston in the championship game.
Can the 15th-seeded Jackrabbits shake up the bracket with a stunner over the second-seeded Cyclones?
South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs Iowa State Cyclones Betting Odds
|
Team |
Spread |
Total |
MoneyLine |
|
South Dakota State |
+17 -112 |
O 135.5 -110 |
+1200 |
|
Iowa State |
-17 -108 |
U 135.5 -110 |
-2400 |
|
**Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** |
|||
#15 South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs #2 Iowa State Cyclones
- Fixture:#15 South Dakota State Jackrabbits vs #2 Iowa State Cyclones
- Date and Time: March 21, 2024 @ 7:35 pm EST
- Location: CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha, NE
Apex Tale of the Tape
| South Dakota State Jackrabbits |
Vs. |
Iowa State Cyclones |
| 22-12 |
Record |
27-7 |
| 76.8 |
Points Per Game |
75.6 |
| 48.3% |
FG% |
46.3% |
| 36.3% |
3PT% |
34.9% |
| 35.6 |
Rebounds Per Game |
33.9% |
| 70.8 |
Points Allowed Per Game |
61.3 |
| 41.7% |
Defensive FG% |
40% |
| 34.6% |
Defensive 3PT% |
31.5% |
| 74.5% |
Defensive FT% |
71.2% |
| 24.7 |
Defensive Rebounds Against |
23.4 |
| 5-0 |
Last 5 W-L |
4-1 |
| 71.5 |
Team Pace |
72.2 |
Key Stats
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
The Jackrabbits are winners of their last 8 games, the last of which was a 76-68 win over Denver in the Summit League championship game. They are led by junior guard Zeke Mayo (18.8 PPG), who has been a very consistent scorer; scoring in double figures in every game since January 25th. The Jackrabbits shoot an impressive 48.3% from the field, which is ranked 23rd in the country.
Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State came into the season unranked and now heads into the NCAA tournament with a Big-12 tournament title and a #2 seed here in the East region. The Cyclones boast the 2nd most suffocating defense in the country, only allowing 61.3 points per game. Offensively, they are led by guards Keshon Gilbert (13.8 PPG) and Tamin Lipsey (12.3 PPG).
Game Prediction
On paper, this looks like a nightmare matchup for South Dakota State. They have not seen a defense like Iowa State and it may have them looking shook out there. However, the Cyclones don’t exactly light it up on the offensive end, which can keep South Dakota somewhat in the game and within the 17-point spread. I have the Jackrabbits covering the spread in a gross, mucked-up, low-scoring game.
Final Pick
South Dakota State +17 and Under 135.5
Cory is an Oregon Duck alumni and has been following all college basketball closely for years. He has attended over 30 games across the country this season alone. Follow Cory on X @cory_pappas1 for more college game previews. It’s March!
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
