Many eyes in the college basketball world will be on Western Hall Tuesday as host Western Illinois looks to handle the South Dakota Coyotes in NCAAB action.

This season, the Leathernecks are 6-5 overall and 4-1 ATS ATS, while the Coyotes are 5-8 and 3-4 ATS against the number. As for the totals, Western Illinois boasts a 1-3 on the OU, and South Dakota is 4-2.



View South Dakota vs Western Illinois Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
College basketball odds makers opened the Leathernecks as 8-point favorites in this matchupl.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Leathernecks - Coyotes odds would favor the Leathernecks if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Western Illinois is rated No. 124 in the current Odds Shark poll, while South Dakota is at No. 247. Mathematical models based on recent stats and predictive formulas point to a 73-65 win for the Leathernecks.



How They Match Up:
Rating these schools in several key categories is important for handicappers and Western Illinois has the nation's No. 243-rated offensive output, at 64.7 PPG. The visiting Coyotes defense ranks No. 297 allowing on average 74.1 PPG. The Leathernecks FG% has averaged 45.3% so far, less than the Coyotes marksmen have achieved on the year, 45.7% per game.

Defensively, South Dakota features the nation's No. 199-rated defense on the road, allowing 72.3 points per game. Western Illinois, meanwhile, comes in at No. 252 nationally in scoring at home.

In their last action, South Dakota was a 79-67 loser at home against Oral Roberts. They failed to cover the 11–point spread as underdogs. The Coyotes endured a 79-67 loss at the hands of the Golden Eagles on Friday, despite a 20-point effort from Allen Saint-Gelais at DakotaDome.

Last time out for Western Illinois, they were a 75-68 loser as they battled IUPUI on the road. They failed to cover in the match as a 5-point underdog. Western Illinois got 19 points from Terell Parks but lost anyway, 75-68, to IUPUI on Friday at IUPUI Gymnasium.

Next up:
South Dakota at UMKC, Saturday, January 7
Western Illinois at Oakland, Thursday, January 5