The South Dakota Coyotes (17-8, 7-3 Summit) and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (11-13, 5-5 Summit) go head-to-head at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Coyotes look to lengthen their six-game winning streak. Action begins at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 8, 2020.
South Dakota Coyotes at North Dakota Fighting Hawks ATS Odds
Both teams were triumphant in their last game. The Fighting Hawks defeated the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles 74-68, while the Coyotes dismantled the Peru State Bobcats 106-45.
South Dakota played a nearly perfect game. They had a free throw rate of 0.180 (below their season average of 0.299) and a turnover percentage of 17.3 (worse than their season average of 13.7). For those same stats, Peru State recorded marks of 0.078 and 34.3, respectively. The Fighting Hawks, meanwhile, had a much better free throw rate (0.250 vs. 0.140) and held the Golden Eagles to an offensive rebounding percentage of 17.2 (below their season average of 34.3). North Dakota was led by Kienan Walter, who recorded 19 points and seven rebounds. Meanwhile, Cody Kelley was a key piece for South Dakota with 27 points and seven steals.
The Coyotes dominated this series last year, securing victories in both games. In the last matchup, South Dakota won 78-63. Converting at the free throw line was one of South Dakota’s biggest advantages. They were 14-17 (82.4 percent), while the Fighting Hawks were just 10-16 (62.5 percent). This will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams.
The sweet-shooting offense of North Dakota will square off against the porous defense of South Dakota. The Fighting Hawks rank 51st in effective field goal percentage (0.532), while the Coyotes are 282nd in effective field goal percentage allowed (0.516). The Fighting Hawks figure to have the edge on that side of the ball. Also, the Coyotes rank 12th in turnover percentage (15.1 percent), while the Fighting Hawks rank 343rd in opponents’ turnover percentage (15.9 percent).
South Dakota Coyotes vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks Free Pick
Prediction: SU Winner – South Dakota, ATS Winner – South Dakota, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- North Dakota ranks 112th in rebounds per game (36.6) while South Dakota ranks 276th (32.6).
- The Coyotes rank 28th in steals allowed per game (5.2) while the Fighting Hawks rank 158th (7.1).
Bettings Trends:
- During their last five games, the Coyotes have scored an average of 90.8 points per game (10.9 above their season average) and allowed an average of 70.4 points per game (3.1 below their season average).
- The Fighting Hawks’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 1.2, down from 2.0 for the season.
