March Madness finally kicks off on Thursday with a 16-game schedule, beginning one of the best stretches on the sports calendar. There have already been a couple memorable play-in games decided by five points or fewer, and we can expect more of the same on Thursday and Friday.
The final game of the first round sees No. 13 Kent State take on No. 4 Indiana for a spot in the Round of 32. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:55 p.m. ET at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
We will now preview each of the two teams, and then we’ll give you our betting predictions for this Round of 64 contest. Keep reading for college basketball lines, analysis, and a free pick for Kent State vs. Indiana.
2023 March Madness Round of 64 Game
No. 13 Kent State Golden Flashes vs. No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview
Kent State of Mid-American meets Indiana of Big Ten in NCAA Tourney First Round
ATS Odds: Indiana -4
Moneyline Odds: Kent State +150 / Indiana -185
Over/Under Odds: 40.5 -110
When: Friday, March 17 at 9:55 pm ET
Where: MVP Arena, Albany, NY
TV / Streaming: TBS
Why Bet on No. 13 Kent State against No. 4 Indiana?
Kent State (28-6) finished second in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular season standings and won its last six games of the year, including a 93-78 win over Toledo in the MAC Tournament final. Sincere Carry led a balanced scoring attack with 26 points, while Malique Jacobs added 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists.
The Golden Flashes average 76.6 PPG, which ranks 59th in the country. They’re not an efficient or high-volume three-point shooting team but have one of the best team defenses in the country, ranking T17th in defensive rating (95.2). They’re also 17th nationwide in steals per game at 8.9; Jacobs, an Honorable Mention All-MAC selection last season, leads the team with 2.7 steals per game.
Kent State hasn’t played many games against top-ranked teams this season, although they were competitive in early season losses to Gonzaga (73-66) and Houston (49-44). As was the case in those games, they’ll likely have to be at their best defensively to have a chance at upsetting Indiana.
Why Bet on No. 4 Indiana against No. 13 Kent State?
The Indiana Hoosiers (22-11) have earned the No. 4 seed after finishing second in the Big Ten regular season standings. The Hoosiers have impressive wins over other NCAA Tournament teams, including Purdue (x2), Maryland, and Illinois, but lost to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
The Hoosiers average 75 PPG, which ranks just 99th in the country, but have one of the most efficient offenses. They rank 10th in field goal percentage at 49, although they make only 5.7 three-point shots per game, which ranks 337th. Indiana moves the ball well, averaging 15.4 assists per contest, which is 36th in the country.
Trayce Jackson-Davis is the team’s leading scorer at 20.8 PPG. He’s also averaging 10.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. The senior is projected to be a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Kent State vs. Indiana Betting Trends
- Kent State has hit the Moneyline in 39 of their last 48 games
- Kent State have covered the Spread in 31 of their last 47 games
- Kent State has hit the 1H Moneyline in 30 of their last 40 games
- Kent State have covered the 1H Spread in 27 of their last 42 games
- Kent State has hit the Game Total Under in 17 of their last 22 away games
- Indiana has hit the Moneyline in 12 of their last 17 games
- Indiana has hit the Game Total Over in 27 of their last 45 games
- Indiana has hit the 1H Moneyline in 17 of their last 24 games at home
- Indiana has hit the 1H Game Total Over in 15 of their last 24 games
- Indiana has hit the Team Total Over in their last 5 games
Kent State vs. Indiana Betting Odds and Prediction
This might be one of the tougher matchups to predict and certainly the hardest No. 4 vs. No. 13 matchup. Indiana is only a four-point favorite and paying out -185 on the moneyline, while the Golden Flashes are +150 underdogs. The over/under is 140.5, with both paying out -110.
Considering Kent State limited Houston, which averages 75 PPG, to 49 points earlier this season, they should be able to contain Indiana’s interior offense and transition their defense into offense for a high-paced game. The Golden Flashes moneyline might be a bit risky, but Kent State at +4 (-110) is a solid bet.
March Madness Round of 64 Pick: Kent State at +4 (-110) is a solid bet. | Bet Kent State vs. Indiana Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game
2023 Mid-American College Football Conference Standings
| School | Conf | CPct. | Overall | Pct. | Home | Away | Neutral | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo Rockets | 16-2 | .889 | 27-8 | .771 | 13-1 | 10-4 | 4-3 | L2 |
| Kent State Golden Flashes | 15-3 | .833 | 28-6 | .824 | 15-0 | 8-6 | 5-0 | W6 |
| Akron Zips | 13-5 | .722 | 22-11 | .667 | 15-1 | 5-6 | 2-4 | L1 |
| Ball State Cardinals | 11-7 | .611 | 20-12 | .625 | 12-2 | 6-7 | 2-3 | L4 |
| Ohio Bobcats | 10-8 | .556 | 19-14 | .576 | 14-1 | 4-11 | 1-2 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bulls | 9-9 | .500 | 15-17 | .469 | 12-4 | 3-9 | 0-4 | L1 |
| Northern Illinois Huskies | 9-9 | .500 | 13-19 | .406 | 5-7 | 7-10 | 1-2 | L1 |
| Miami (FL) Hurricanes | 6-12 | .333 | 12-20 | .375 | 9-9 | 3-9 | 0-2 | L2 |
| Bowling Green Falcons | 5-13 | .278 | 11-20 | .355 | 7-9 | 4-11 | 0-0 | L1 |
| Central Michigan Chippewas | 5-13 | .278 | 10-21 | .323 | 6-8 | 3-12 | 1-1 | L5 |
| Eastern Michigan Eagles | 5-13 | .278 | 8-23 | .258 | 6-7 | 2-13 | 0-3 | L2 |
| Western Michigan Broncos | 4-14 | .222 | 8-23 | .258 | 7-7 | 1-15 | 0-1 | W1 |
2023 Big Ten College Football Conference Standings
| School | Conf | CPct. | Overall | Pct. | Home | Away | Neutral | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue Boilermakers | 15-5 | .750 | 29-5 | .853 | 14-2 | 8-3 | 7-0 | W5 |
| Indiana Hoosiers | 12-8 | .600 | 22-11 | .667 | 15-2 | 5-7 | 2-2 | L1 |
| Northwestern Wildcats | 12-8 | .600 | 21-11 | .656 | 13-5 | 7-4 | 1-2 | L1 |
| Michigan State Spartans | 11-8 | .579 | 19-12 | .613 | 12-2 | 4-7 | 3-3 | L1 |
| Maryland Terrapins | 11-9 | .550 | 21-12 | .636 | 16-1 | 2-9 | 3-2 | L1 |
| Illinois Fighting Illini | 11-9 | .550 | 20-12 | .625 | 15-2 | 3-7 | 2-3 | L2 |
| Iowa Hawkeyes | 11-9 | .550 | 19-13 | .594 | 14-3 | 4-7 | 1-3 | L2 |
| Michigan Wolverines | 11-9 | .550 | 18-15 | .545 | 13-4 | 3-7 | 2-4 | W1 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | 10-10 | .500 | 22-13 | .629 | 13-4 | 4-7 | 5-2 | L1 |
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 10-10 | .500 | 19-15 | .559 | 14-6 | 4-7 | 1-2 | L2 |
| Wisconsin Badgers | 9-11 | .450 | 18-14 | .562 | 10-6 | 5-6 | 3-2 | W1 |
| Nebraska Cornhuskers | 9-11 | .450 | 16-16 | .500 | 11-4 | 4-8 | 1-4 | L1 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | 5-15 | .250 | 16-19 | .457 | 10-6 | 1-10 | 5-3 | L1 |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers | 2-17 | .105 | 9-22 | .290 | 6-11 | 1-9 | 2-2 | L1 |
Houston 49 vs 44 Kent State | 2022.11.26 | NCAA Basketball Game
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