Sacramento State vs. Southern Utah 11/26/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds and the Sacramento State Hornets meet in college basketball action from the George Q. Cannon Activities Center on Saturday night.

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds come into this one on the heels of their 78-65 loss to Texas State last time out. Tevian Jones leads the Thunderbirds in scoring with 19.8 PPG and 4.8 RPG while Maizen Fausett has 11 PPG with a team-high 7.2 RPG to lead the Thunderbirds on the glass. Harrison Butler has 10.4 PPG with 5.4 RPG and 3.2 APG to cap off the trio of double-digit scorers for Southern Utah so far this season. Drake Allen also has a team-high 4 APG as well for the Thunderbirds. As a team, Southern Utah is averaging 92.7 points per game on 48.5% shooting from the field, 33.9% from behind the 3-point line and 66.9% from the foul line this season.

The Sacramento State Hornets will hope to bounce back from a 74-61 loss to Hawaii in their last game. Zach Chappell leads the Hornets in scoring with 12 PPG while Cameron Wilbon has 11.4 PPG with 4.6 RPG this season. Callum McRae has 10.2 PPG with a team-high 9.6 RPG and 3 APG to lead the Hornets on the glass and Akol Mawein has 10 PPG with 6.8 RPG to finish off the group of double-digit scorers for Sac State so far this season. Gianni Hunt also has a team-high 3.8 APG to lead the Hornets in the assist department up to this point in the year. As a team, Sacramento State is averaging 63 PPG on 43.4% shooting from the field, 33.3% from three and 61.7% from the foul line this season.

I get the case to be made for backing (or fading) either side in this game, but I think I’m going to side with Sacramento State. Southern Utah’s played a couple of tough opponents, but their only wins this season have come against subdivision opponents. Sacramento State’s at least knocked off Denver and UC-San Diego and it gives me more confidence that they’ll emerge victorious and grab the cover here. Give me Sacramento State.