The Iowa State Cyclones will attempt to avoid a first-round exit for the third time in the past four seasons when they take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Thursday in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The No. 2-seeded Cyclones (27-7) made the NCAA Tournament field last year but were routed 59-41 by Pittsburgh in the first round. They will have a chance to reach the Round of 32 by beating the No. 15-seeded Jackrabbits (22-12), who return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2022 and are 0-6 all time in the NCAA Tournament.
Tipoff is set for 7:35 p.m. ET from CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. The Cyclones are 16-point favorites and the over/under for total points scored is 135.5 in the latest South Dakota State vs. Iowa State odds via SportsLine consensus. Before making any Iowa State vs. South Dakota State picks, you need to check out the college basketball analysis from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Iowa State vs. South Dakota State. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for South Dakota State vs. Iowa State:
- Iowa State vs. South Dakota State spread: Iowa State -16
- Iowa State vs. South Dakota State over/under: 135.5
- Iowa State vs. South Dakota State money line: Iowa State -1808, SDSU +950
- SDSU: The Jackrabbits are 5-4 against the spread in neutral site games this season.
- ISU: The Cyclones are 9-4 ATS in non-conference games this season.
- Iowa State vs. South Dakota State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Iowa State can cover
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger arguably could have an advantage of sorts Thursday because he will be opposing a sideline full of familiar faces. Otzelberger started his coaching career at South Dakota State and his immediate success led to him becoming one of the hottest college basketball coaching prospects in recent memory. Otzelberger led the Jackrabbits to NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his first two seasons before leaving for UNLV following the 2019 season in which they made the NIT.
The Cyclones became a popular selection in the college basketball futures betting market following their dominant run through the Big 12 Tournament with a form that had many observers believing they should usurp conference rival Houston for a No. 1 seed. The Cyclones rank in the top 10 for almost all advanced efficiency analytics and their 14.3-point average margin of victory ranks No. 9 nationally. Iowa State has offensive balance, with four starters averaging between 10.5 and 13.8 points per game, and their sterling half-court defense is limiting opponents to 61.3 points per game. See whom to back at SportsLine.
Why South Dakota State can cover
The Jackrabbits struggled against a somewhat difficult non-conference schedule, though they did notch wins against the likes of Southern Miss and Wichita State before turning their attention to Summit opponents. They have a deep rotation that features a mixture of experienced veterans and talented underclassmen. South Dakota State, which shoots 36.2% from 3-point range, excelled down the stretch to finish in first place at 12-4 and went on a dominant run in the conference tournament with three decisive victories.
The closest contest in the conference tournament was a 76-68 win over Denver in the final, but the Jackrabbits held a 37-23 halftime lead and were never seriously threatened. Leading scorer Zeke Mayo had 16 points with six rebounds and three assists. See whom to back at SportsLine.
How to make South Dakota State vs. Iowa State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 144 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.
So who wins Iowa State vs. South Dakota State, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 148-106 roll on its top-rated college basketball picks, and find out.
