The Indiana Hoosiers have already beaten the Kentucky Wildcats this season, but in order to advance to the Elite Eight, they’ll have to repeat that feat inside the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Indiana Hoosiers vs. Kentucky Wildcats
Why Indiana Will Win
As sports betting experts know, all things are possible in the NCAA tournament. The odds certainly line up with Kentucky in this game. Indiana is trying to thread the needle in this contest; pulling off a second win against Kentucky would rank as one of the great achievements in Indiana basketball history and one of the more improbable occurrences in the 73-year existence of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. However, there is definitely a pathway for the Hoosiers in this contest. First of all, Kentucky has been taking a lot of three-point shots over the past week and a half. Kentucky lost to Vanderbilt in the title game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament precisely because it hoisted too many threes. If Kentucky isn’t disciplined with its shot selection, Indiana can get a foot in the door. Moreover, since this game is being played inside a dome, which generally offers a sub-optimal shooting environment. Kentucky has to watch how it handles its possessions; just one bad night could land the Wildcats on a plane flight home while Indiana advances.
Why Kentucky Will Win
When you do your homework and assess your sports bet on this game, college basketball betting experts will tell you that the odds do not favor Indiana for several very simple reasons. First of all, it’s hard to beat a team as good as Kentucky on one occasion; Indiana will be attempting to shock the Wildcats for the second time this season after winning the first matchup over three months ago. Furthermore, Indiana will be playing this game without guard Verdell Jones, an important defender for IU who had the quickness to keep up with Kentucky’s Darius Miller and Marquis Teague. Indiana’s Victor Oladipo could hold his own as a perimeter defender to coach Tom Crean’s rotation and enables role players to be that much more effective when coming off the bench. Kentucky is a team that wears down opponents with its high energy level and constant defensive pressure. Indiana needs Jones in a game like this, but with Jones out for the season with an injury, the cards are simply stacked against the Hoosiers. Kentucky can fall in love with the three-point shot and suffer as a result, but the Wildcats are likely to learn their lesson this time around. All these reasons add up to a Kentucky victory inside the Georgia Dome.
There are two more convincing reasons to pick Kentucky here. One is that in the Dec. 10 game won by Indiana, Kentucky big man Anthony Davis got into foul trouble for one of the few times this season. That’s not likely to happen again. Second, Indiana has been extraordinarily good inside its home gymnasium, Assembly Hall, but very average outside it. Safe to say, this game isn’t inside Assembly Hall.
Who Will Win
Kentucky might not run away with this game, but Indiana maxed out against the Wildcats on its home floor in December. The simple fact that Kentucky will have a partisan crowd on hand in Georgia will make it hard for the Hoosiers to generate the momentum they need. The Wildcats are also really good. They will find a way to win on Friday.
March Madness Betting Picks : Kentucky
