Providence vs. South Dakota State odds, line, predictions: Proven college basketball model reveals spread pick for 2022 NCAA Tournament game

Two teams with long NCAA Tournament droughts will collide on Thursday when the No. 4 seed Providence Friars and No. 13 seed South Dakota State Jackrabbits meet in a Midwest Region first round game at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The Friars (25-5) have not won a NCAA Tournament game since 2016. The Jackrabbits' drought is even longer; South Dakota State (28-4) has never won a NCAA Tournament game and is 0-5 in the tournament all-time. 

Tipoff is set for 12:40 p.m. ET. The Friars are favored by 2.5 points in the latest Providence vs. South Dakota State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the Over/Under for total points scored is 148. (See up-to-date odds for every game this week on our college basketball odds page.)

Before making any South Dakota State vs. Providence picks or NCAA Tournament predictions, be sure to check out what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Div. I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.

The model knows that Providence has one of the most experienced rosters in college basketball. The Friars' top seven players -- Nate Watson (153 games), Noah Horchler (117), Al Durham (151), A.J. Reeves (104), Jared Bynum (76), Justin Minaya (108) and Ed Croswell (113) -- have combined to play 822 collegiate games. The average age of the team's top seven players is 23.0.

The model also knows that South Dakota State is the best 3-point shooting team in the country. The Jackrabbits lead the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (44.9) and make 9.4 threes per game. Baylor Scheierman leads the team and ranks second in the Summit League with 80 3-pointers this season.

Now, the model has set its sights on the NCAA Tournament and Providence vs. South Dakota State. We can tell you it is leaning Over the total, predicting a combined 153 points, and it also says one side of the spread covers in well almost 60 percent of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any college basketball picks.

Who wins Providence vs. South Dakota State? And which side of the spread covers in almost 60 percent of simulations? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the South Dakota State vs. Providence spread you should be all over Thursday, all from the model on a roll on college basketball picks!