The Southern Utah Thunderbirds will travel to Bakersfield, California on Monday, November 6th, to face the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners in their season opener. The game is scheduled to tip off at 10:00pm ET and will be televised live on ESPN+.
The Thunderbirds are coming off a 22-12 season in 2022-23, while the Roadrunners finished with a record of 15-13. Southern Utah is a member of the Big Sky Conference, while CSU Bakersfield plays in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
The game between the Southern Utah Thunderbirds and the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners will be televised live on ESPN+. ESPN+ is a streaming service that is available on the ESPN app and on ESPN.com. A subscription to ESPN+ is required to watch the game.
Matchup: Southern Utah vs CSU Bakersfield
Time: Monday, November 6, 2023, 10:00pm ET (Local time)
Locations: Icardo Center, Bakersfield, CA
TV: ESPN+
Live stream the Southern Utah vs CSU Bakersfield game on FuboTV: Start your free trial today!
The Thunderbirds will be led by senior forward Brandon Better, who averaged 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season. Better is one of the most talented players in the Big Sky Conference and is a Preseason All-Big Sky selection.
The Roadrunners will be led by senior guard Cameron Smith, who averaged 15.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game last season. Smith is one of the top scorers in the WAC Conference and is a Preseason All-WAC selection.
The game between the Thunderbirds and the Roadrunners is expected to be a close and competitive one. Both teams are evenly matched and have a number of talented players. Southern Utah has a slight edge in experience, while CSU Bakersfield has a slight edge in athleticism.
I predict that the Southern Utah Thunderbirds will defeat the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners by a score of 75-72.
Southern Utah has a slight edge in experience over CSU Bakersfield. The Thunderbirds also have a better defense, ranking 23rd in the country in defensive efficiency last season, while the Roadrunners ranked 52nd.
CSU Bakersfield has a slight edge in athleticism and depth over Southern Utah. The Roadrunners also have a better offense, ranking 34th in the country in offensive efficiency last season, while the Thunderbirds ranked 43rd.
Overall, I believe that Southern Utah has the edge in this matchup. They have a better defense and a more experienced player in Brandon Better. However, CSU Bakersfield is a talented team that could pull off the upset if they play their best game.
