Halftime Report
Fortunes may be turning around for Southern Utah after losing eight in a row. After one quarter, neither squad has the contest in the bag, but Southern Utah leads 30-28 over UT-Rio Grande Valley. Southern Utah took a big hit to their ego last Thursday, so a victory here would be a pleasant pick-me-up.
If Southern Utah keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 10-21 in no time. On the other hand, UT-Rio Grande Valley will have to make due with a 6-25 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Southern Utah Thunderbirds @ UT-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros
Current Records: Southern Utah 9-21, UT-Rio Grande Valley 6-24
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: UTRGV Fieldhouse -- Edinburg, Texas
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $18.90
What to Know
We've got another exciting WAC matchup on schedule as the Southern Utah Thunderbirds and the UT-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros are set to tip at 7:30 p.m. ET on March 9th at UTRGV Fieldhouse. Both teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with eight consecutive losses for Southern Utah and 13 for UT-Rio Grande Valley.
It's hard to win when your shooting is a whole 20.4% worse than the opposition, a fact Southern Utah found out the hard way on Thursday. They were dealt a punishing 87-60 loss at the hands of the Lumberjacks.
Zion Young put forth a good effort for the losing side as he scored 12 points along with two steals. He didn't help Southern Utah's cause all that much against Utah back in December of 2023 but the same can't be said for this contest.
Meanwhile, the Vaqueros came up short against the Trailblazers on Thursday and fell 79-74. UT-Rio Grande Valley has not had much luck with Utah Tech recently, as the team's come up short the last four times they've met.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Sherman Brashear, who went 6 for 9 from beyond the arc en route to 24 points and 3 assists. Another player making a difference was Daylen Williams, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 13 rebounds.
UT-Rio Grande Valley struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only four offensive rebounds. They are 1-4 when they can't control their own glass like that.
The Thunderbirds have been struggling recently as they've lost nine of their last ten matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-21 record this season. As for the Vaqueros, their loss was their fifth straight at home, which dropped their record down to 6-24.
Looking ahead to Saturday, Southern Utah is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by five points. They have not treated fans well this season (a 9-21 ensrues that), but at least they enjoy a 16-11-1 record against the spread.
Southern Utah took their win against UT-Rio Grande Valley when the teams last played back in February by a conclusive 79-59. With Southern Utah ahead 48-28 at the half, the contest was all but over already.
Odds
Southern Utah is a 5-point favorite against UT-Rio Grande Valley, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Thunderbirds as a 4.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 153.5 points.
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Series History
Southern Utah has won both of the games they've played against UT-Rio Grande Valley in the last 2 years.
- Feb 03, 2024 - Southern Utah 79 vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley 59
- Dec 31, 2022 - Southern Utah 94 vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley 88