On Thursday night, the Indiana Hoosiers and Tennessee-Chattanooga meet in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The Hoosiers (25-7) are the #5 seed in the East region and won the regular season title in the Big Ten. The Mocs (29-5) are the Southern Conference champion and hold the #12 seed in the East region. Be sure to be on the lookout for more odds and lines for March Madness by clicking here.
March Madness Betting Preview on Chattanooga vs Indiana
What: Chattanooga Mocs (22-6) at Indiana Hoosiers (25-7)
When: Thursday, March 17, 2016
Start Time: 7:10 PM ET
Where: Des Moines, Iowa
Stadium: Wells Fargo Arena
Spread: Indiana -11
Moneyline: N.A
Game Total: N.A
Watch: CBS
Stream: CBS Sports Listen: Chattanooga at Indiana
Why Should You Bet on the Hoosiers?
Since the beginning of January, Indiana has been playing terrific basketball, coming from eighth in the Big Ten standings to take the regular season title. They did falter in the Big Ten tournament, suffering an upset against Michigan, but they also won their last five Big Ten games, including the final two against Iowa and Maryland, teams that spent some time in the top 5 in the AP poll this season. Senior guard Yogi Ferrell will put this team on his back and carry them as far as he can in this tournament.
Why Should You Put Your Money on Chattanooga?
It’s true that Chattanooga lost their only matchup against a team in the AP top 25 when they got routed by 20 at the hands of Iowa State, but that was also in the season’s earliest stages. They do have balance an offense, though, with eight players averaging at least seven points a game, led by senior Casey Jones, a guard who scores 12.6 points per game, grabs 6.5 boards and dishes out 3.9 assists. He also shoots right at 50 percent from the floor, so if he gets hot and Indiana is either nervous or in the doldrums coming out, this could be a long night for the Hoosiers.
Expert Betting Pick and Final Score Prediction
I expect that Indiana will pop right out of the sadness of losing to Michigan in the conference tournament and get back on a winning streak against the Mocs. I’m picking the Hoosiers to win and cover, 78-61.
