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The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and the UT-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros re-enter Western Athletic Conference play when they meet in Edinburg, Texas, on Thursday afternoon. The Lumberjacks (8-5, 1-1 WAC), who have won three in a row and four of six, are coming off an 80-51 win over New Orleans on Friday. The Vaqueros (4-9, 0-2 WAC), who have lost six of eight, are coming off a 77-74 win over Incarnate Word on Saturday. UT-Rio Grande Valley is 3-2 on its home court this season, while Stephen F. Austin is 2-2 on the road in 2023-24.

Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET at UTRGV Fieldhouse. The Lumberjacks are 9.5-point favorites in the latest Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 152.5. Before making any UT-Rio Grande Valley vs. Stephen F. Austin picks, check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 9 of the 2023-24 season on a 101-66 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,000 for $100 players. It is also off to a fast 11-4 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines and trends for UT-Rio Grande Valley vs. Stephen F. Austin:

  • Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley spread: Stephen F. Austin -9.5
  • Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley over/under: 152.5 points
  • Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley money line: Stephen F. Austin -482, UT-Rio Grande Valley +363
  • SFA: The Lumberjacks have hit the game total over in nine of their last 12 road games
  • UTRGV: The Vaqueros have hit the money line in nine of their last 26 games 
  • Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley picks: See picks at SportsLine 

Why Stephen F. Austin can cover

The Lumberjacks feature a balanced scoring attack with six players averaging seven points or better. Junior forward Sadaidriene Hall leads the team in scoring. In 13 games, including seven starts, Hall is averaging 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and one assist per game. He has reached double-figure scoring in three of the past four games, including a 25-point performance in a 115-58 win over Paul Quinn on Dec. 22. He registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win over New Orleans.

Junior guard Latrell Jossell has started all 12 games he has played in and is coming off back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts. He scored 12 points in the win over New Orleans and had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists in a 75-72 victory over New Mexico State on Dec. 19. He has scored 10 or more points in six games, including a season-high 16 in a 67-62 overtime loss at Middle Tennessee on Nov. 9. For the season, he is averaging 9.4 points, 1.6 assists, 1.5 rebounds and one steal per game. He is a 91.3% foul shooter. See who to back at SportsLine. 

Why UT-Rio Grande Valley can cover

The Vaqueros have three players who average double-digit scoring, led by junior guard Elijah Elliott. After playing last season at Mount St. Mary's, Elliott has become a key component to the UT Rio Grande Valley offense, averaging 15.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.2 steals in 34.1 minutes of action. He has started 12 of 13 games and is coming off a 21-point performance in the win over Incarnate Word. His best game was a 30-point effort in a 100-79 loss to South Dakota on Nov. 10.

Junior guard Hasan Abdul-Hakim has been red hot of late. He has earned seven starts in 12 games and has reached double-figure scoring eight times, including in each of his last six contests. He has scored 20 or more points three times and is coming off a 17-point, five-rebound and four-assist game against Incarnate Word. For the season, he is averaging 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks in 27.7 minutes of action. See who to back at SportsLine. 

How to make UTRGV vs. Stephen F. Austin picks

The model has simulated this matchup 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.

So who wins Stephen F. Austin vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley, and which side of the spread hits over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 101-66 roll on its top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.