The Denver Pioneers (9-20, 5-11 Summit League) visit the St. Thomas Tommies (9-19, 3-13) Thursday at Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Denver vs. St. Thomas odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
The Pioneers of Denver are in a nosedive, losing four straight games outright while failing to cover in each of their last three outings. Denver won the first meeting Dec. 22 in the Mile High City, but it failed to cover a 1.5-point number in a 75-74 win as the Over connected.
The Tommies snapped a 12-game losing skid with an 84-74 road win at North Dakota as 2-point underdogs as the Over cashed Tuesday. The 84 points were the most St. Thomas has scored since Jan. 1, the team’s last victory before the losing skid. The Over also ended a 6-0 Under run.
See also: Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports
Denver at St. Thomas odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:28 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Denver +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | St. Thomas -170 (bet $170 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Denver +3.5 (-120) | St. Thomas -3.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 146.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Denver at St. Thomas odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
St. Thomas 76, Denver 72
Money line
The best play here is taking ST. THOMAS (-170) on the money line. Instead of having to worry about covering the small spread, just pick a winner. It’s the better play in a battle between bad teams.
While the Tommies have won just once since New Year’s Day they did notch two consecutive wins from Dec. 29-Jan. 1, and had won four of five games back then. The Pioneers are 2-12 SU on the road this season.
Against the spread
If you insist on laying the points, and just don’t trust the Tommies straight up, go lightly on ST. THOMAS -3.5 (-105).
Denver is just 2-5 ATS in its last seven games overall, and 1-4 ATS in its last five as an underdog. While St. Thomas is just 2-11 ATS in the past 13 games overall it’s 6-1 ATS in its last seven against teams with a losing overall record.
Over/Under
The OVER 146.5 (-110) is only worth playing very lightly. We saw the Over cash in the meeting in Denver earlier this season. While the Under is 4-1 in the past five on the road for Denver, and the Under is 6-1 in the past seven games overall for St. Thomas, look for both of these struggling offenses to get well against equally poor defensive units.
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