After entering the season as the favorites to win the Big Ten, Indiana still had an impressive 2022-23 campaign despite finishing fourth in the Big Ten regular-season standings, earning a No. 4 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament. However, A first-round matchup against 13th-seeded Kent State, the MAC Tournament champions, will be challenging, which is shown in the current four-point spread.
Indiana's had some up-and-down performances and could potentially be on upset watch if it doesn't execute to the best of its abilities for 40 minutes. Kent State played a competitive non-conference schedule that included trips to Charleston, Houston, and Gonzaga, and although the Golden Flashes went 0-3 in those games, they were competitive, losing by an average of 4.66 points per game.
Can the Hoosiers stave off the upset-minded Golden Flashes? Here's everything to know about betting on Indiana vs. Kent State in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends, and our prediction for this first-round game.
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Indiana vs. Kent State odds
Per Sports Interaction, Indiana currently sits as a 4-point favorite, with the total set at 140.5 points. Some early money's come in on the Golden Flashes, as they've dropped from +5.5 down to +4.
- Spread: Indiana -4 (-110); Kent State +4 (-110)
- Over/Under: OVER 140.5 (-110); UNDER 140.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Indiana -188; Kent State +156
Three betting trends to watch
— The Hoosiers enter the NCAA Tournament with a 15-17-1 ATS record, having covered just twice over their past eight games.
— They haven't closed as underdogs very often, but Kent State fared well when in the underdog role, covering in four of five games this season. Despite going 0-3 straight up against Charleston, Houston, and Gonzaga, Kent State overperformed relative to the betting market, covering in all three games.
— With Kent State claiming the MAC championship and Indiana losing in the Big Ten semifinals on Saturday, both schools enter the NCAA Tournament on equal rest. When playing against an opponent on equal rest, Kent State's gone an impressive 13-6 ATS while Indiana's posted a subpar 5-10 ATS mark.
MORE NCAA TOURNAMENT BETTING:
Odds | Favorites & Sleepers | Props | Round 1 Best Bets
Indiana key players
First-team All-Big Ten center Trayce Jackson-Davis is the heart and soul of the Hoosiers and looks to cement his legacy with a deep tournament run to cap off his college career. Jackson-Davis is Indiana's most-utilized player, sporting a 57.9 effective field-goal percentage to go along with 20.8 points per game. Freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino is Indiana's other go-to option, as the freshman guard's stepped up in a big way following Xavier Johnson's season-ending foot injury. Hood-Schifino is a pick-and-roll maestro who loves to pull up from the midrange.
MORE: Print your 2023 March Madness bracket here
Kent State key players
Kent State's led by its backcourt duo of Sincere Carry and Malique Jacobs, as both guards have combined to take over 50 percent of the Golden Flashes' shot attempts when on the floor. Carry, the MAC Tournament MVP, averaged 20 points per game in Kent State's three games, and Jacobs, the MAC defensive player of the year, boasts the 18th-best steal percentage in college basketball (4.62 percent). Having a backcourt that is just as dominant on both ends of the court is dangerous.
HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5
Best individual matchup: Jalen Hood-Schifino vs. Malique Jacobs
As we mentioned above, Jacobs, the 2023 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, has a knack for creating turnovers. He'll likely be tasked with slowing down Hood-Schifino, and if he can stay with him in the pick-and-roll by going over middle ball screens, Hood-Schifino could have trouble scoring consistently. If Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino can get to their spots in the two-man game, Kent State's going to have trouble getting enough stops to compete with the Hoosiers.
Jalen Hood-Schifino looked like a lottery pick carving up Purdue's drop defense with floaters, mid-range jumpers, layups with both hands and some really smart reads off a live dribble in a huge win at Purdue. Finished with 35 points on 14 of 24 shooting. pic.twitter.com/SjQdHrxYsW
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) February 26, 2023
Indiana vs. Kent State stat to know
Kent State is one of the smallest teams in the country, ranking 345th in average height, which could result in Jackson-Davis giving the Golden Flashes defense fits. Kent State may choose to double the post anytime Jackson-Davis gets the ball, which seems like a good idea in theory, but Jackson-Davis is an elite passing big man since he's so accustomed to double teams. Jackson-Davis averages 4.1 assists per game, which ranks third in the nation among centers. His elite passing ability will force Kent State to be sound in their rotations, otherwise, the Hoosiers could have a solid shooting day from the perimeter.
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Indiana vs. Kent State prediction
As evident by Kent State's competitiveness in their three Quad 1 games, the Golden Flashes have what it takes to compete with the Hoosiers, but it's tough to see them completely shutting down Indiana's offense. Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino's high-IQ play on offense should stress the Golden Flashes' defense enough to advance to the Round of 32 with a multi-possession win. Indiana's success on the offensive end will force Kent State to maintain a fast tempo, setting this game up for a 70-plus possession game that lands OVER the total.
Prediction: Indiana 77, Kent State 70. Indiana (-4) covers the spread with the game going OVER the total (140.5).
See what BetQL is projecting for Indiana vs. Kent State, along with sharp picks, value bets, and more for every March Madness game!
