Indiana vs. Kent State: 2023 NCAA Tournament Best Bets & Picks
March Madness is officially here! The 2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket has been announced, and the teams are lining up for the Big Dance. Let’s take a look at the early odds, preview, and predictions for the 2023 NCAA Tournament Round 1 game: Indiana vs. Kent State.
Check out all of our coverage for the 2023 NCAA Tournament >>
2023 March Madness Odds, Preview & Predictions: Indiana vs. Kent State
Indiana vs. Kent State Odds, Spread & Match Up Overview
- Indiana Spread: -5.5
- Kent State Spread: +5.5
- Indiana Moneyline: -240
- Kent State Moneyline: +200
- Game Over/Under: 141.5
Go Premium to access our most exclusive March Madness tools and advice >>
Indiana 2023 NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
The preseason Big Ten favorite, Indiana underwhelmed this season. Admittedly, the Hoosiers played a lot of their games at less than 100%, with only three players appearing in every regular-season game. Losing Xavier Johnson for the rest of the season doesn’t help, but the Hoosiers have been playing without him for a while, so the news that Johnson won’t return isn’t too big of a blow.
With the number of players returning from last year, and the talent of Trayce Jackson-Davis, it makes sense that this team had such high hopes. Indiana’s interior offense is solid, and the Hoosiers excel at getting second-chance looks. Indiana had a lot of help playing in Assembly Hall with one of the better home courts in D1, so it will be interesting to see how this team fares in neutral-court games. Last year, Indiana was trounced in the second round by St. Mary’s, a team with solid interior defense that held Indiana to 53 points. This year, if Indiana hopes to avoid an early exit, it has to trust shooters Miller Kopp and Tamar Bates. Despite not preferring the long-range option — Indiana ranks outside the top 325 in three-point rate — the Hoosiers need a more dynamic offense in order to take on well-coached teams. Jalen Hood-Schifino has reached new heights with his game, and this team could be deadly if it can be less one-dimensional.
Mike Woodson can’t exactly trust his team to rely on its defense, which ranks outside the top 40 in adjusted efficiency. When Indiana faced strong teams, it was often handled, losing by double digits to Arizona and Kansas. I see a wide range of possible outcomes for this Indiana team. If the Hoosiers are anything like what they were expected to be in the preseason, they can most definitely reach Houston.
Kent State 2023 NCAA Tournament Betting Preview
The Golden Flashes enter the tournament after winning six straight games and running through a difficult MAC tournament. Sincere Carry is a leading guard, with sharp shooter in Jalen Sullinger adding to their 110th ranked offense. But Kent State is a defense first squad. Ranking 38th highest in adjusted defense, Kent State forces turnovers at a high clip, allowing nearly nothing inside. Their physical play leads to foul touble sometimes though, and Kent State doesn’t exactly have the most depth. The Golden Flashes have stuck with some top opponents this year, losing by five at Houston, one possession to Charleston, and single digits at Gonzaga. This is a tough team that will be a tough out. Rob Senderoff has led his team to the tournament once before, so this isn’t anything new for this experienced squad.
Indiana vs. Kent State 2023 NCAA Tournament Predictions
The Indiana Hoosiers came into the year with high expectations. They went 22-11 on the year and put together a solid season. But it still felt a little underwhelming. The Hoosiers are still a terrific offense with a solid defense. Indiana has shot 37% from downtown and 53.2% from inside the arc. They're hard to guard.
On the other hand, Kent State's defense has been top-tier in the league with many great offenses. Kent State has held teams to 30.9% from deep and 47.8% from inside the arc. But I'm just not sold on its offense against Indiana. The Golden Flashes have shot 33.2% from downtown and aren't very good on the defensive glass. I'm sticking with Indiana in this matchup.
Indiana vs. Kent State 2023 NCAA Tournament Picks
Indiana ML
More Round 1 & First Four Betting Picks & Predictions
South
- #16 Texas A&M-CC vs. #16 Southeast Missouri St. (First Four)
- #8 Maryland vs. #9 West Virginia
- #5 San Diego St. vs. #12 Charleston
- #4 Virginia vs. #13 Furman
- #6 Creighton vs. #11 NC State
- #3 Baylor vs. #14 UC Santa Barbara
- #7 Missouri vs. #10 Utah State
- #2 Arizona vs. #15 Princeton
East
- #8 Memphis vs. #9 Florida Atlantic
- #5 Duke vs. #12 Oral Roberts
- #4 Tennessee vs. #13 Louisiana
- #6 Kentucky vs. #11 Providence
- #3 Kansas State vs. #14 Montana State
- #7 Michigan State vs. #10 USC
- #2 Marquette vs. #15 Vermont
West
- #1 Kansas vs. #16 Howard
- #8 Arkansas vs. #9 Illinois
- #5 Saint Mary’s vs. #12 VCU
- #4 UConn vs. #13 Iona
- #11 Arizona State vs. #11 Nevada (First Four)
- #3 Gonzaga vs. #14 Grand Canyon
- #7 Northwestern vs. #10 Boise State
- #2 UCLA vs. #15 UNC Asheville
Midwest
- #1 Houston vs. #16 Northern Kentucky
- #8 Iowa vs. #9 Auburn
- #5 Miami vs. #12 Drake
- #4 Indiana vs. #13 Kent State
- #11 Mississippi State vs. #11 Pitt (First Four)
- #3 Xavier vs. #14 Kennesaw State
- #7 Texas A&M vs. #10 Penn State
- #2 Texas vs. #15 Colgate
Win Prizes in our FREE Bracket Contest >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts