Thu Mar 20 04:30:00 UTC 2025: **San Francisco Dons Favored to Defeat Utah Valley Wolverines in NIT Matchup**

San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Dons are heavily favored to win their NIT game against the Utah Valley Wolverines on Wednesday, March 19th. The Dons, boasting a dominant 16-1 home record (16-0 at their Sobrato Center), are expected to leverage their home-court advantage against the Wolverines, who had a strong season in the WAC but struggled against tougher non-conference opponents.

While Utah Valley had an impressive 15-1 record in WAC play, analysts point to the conference’s relative weakness (22nd in RPI) compared to the WCC (10th). The Wolverines’ road record (10-6) also contrasts sharply with their undefeated home record, suggesting a potential vulnerability away from Orem. Their struggles against teams like James Madison, Stanford, and Samford further support this concern.

San Francisco, on the other hand, possesses a strong defense (ranked 25th in adjusted efficiency since February 1) and a potent offense led by Malik Thomas (19.3 ppg). Despite the absence of key player Marcus Williams, the Dons have shown resilience, with sophomore Ryan Beasley stepping up to fill the void.

Betting analysts predict a San Francisco victory, with a spread of -7.5 points considered a strong bet. The under is also favored for both the first half and the total game score, reflecting the expectation of a strong defensive performance by the Dons. The article highlights the Dons’ superior defense and home-court advantage as key factors in their predicted victory.

Read More