The 12th-seeded Indiana Hoosiers (21-13) and No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s Gaels (25-7) meet Thursday in an East Region first-round game of the NCAA Tournament. The contest at Moda Center in Portland is slated to tip off at 7:20 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Indiana vs. Saint Mary’s odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Indiana defeated Wyoming 66-58 in a Tuesday First Four contest in Dayton, Ohio. The Hoosiers struggled down the stretch of the regular season (2-7 record from Feb. 5-March 5) before coming alive in the Big Ten Tournament. They defeated Michigan and Illinois before bowing out in a close shave to Iowa in the semifinals.
Saint Mary’s was runner-up to top-ranked Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference. The 16th-ranked Gaels have gone 13-3 over their last 16 games, including 1-2 against Gonzaga. The Gaels are not overly reliant on 3-pointers. They play defense at a high level and are top-notch rebounders on the defensive glass.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Indiana vs. Saint Mary’s odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:52 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Indiana +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Saint Mary’s -155 (bet $155 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Indiana +2.5 (-108) | Saint Mary’s -2.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 126.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
[tipico]
Indiana vs. Saint Mary’s odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Saint Mary’s 63, Indiana 59
Money line
PASS.
With IU’s tougher travel this week, peg SMC as a sliver of a lean at -155.
Against the spread
The Gaels are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a straight-up loss.
IU’s notable performance in the high-profile Big Ten tourney aside, there are some lackluster offensive performances up too close in the rearview mirror.
With its solid 2-point game and some expected edge in turnovers and maybe rebounding, back the better rested GAELS -2.5 (-112).
Over/Under
The Under is 7-1 across SMC’s last eight NCAA Tournament games.
When mid-pace Indiana played some of the slower-tempo Big Ten squads, it was more often dragged into Unders.
Clock the UNDER 126.5 (-115) as a tight lean in this one.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]