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Branden Carlson #35 of the Utah Utes celebrates as we offer our best Utah vs. Indiana State expert pick and prediction for the NIT semifinal on Tuesday.
Branden Carlson #35 of the Utah Utes celebrates making a three point basket against the Brigham Young Cougars during the first half of their game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on December 9, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images via AFP.

In Tuesday’s NIT semifinal, the top-seeded Indiana State Sycamores will take on the second-seeded Utah Utes. Check out our Utah vs. Indiana State predictions and top betting choice.

Following their exclusion from the 68-team NCAA Tournament, the Indiana State Sycamores (31-6) and Utah Utes (22-14) will compete in the Final Four of the NIT on Tuesday. The winner of this matchup will secure a spot in the tournament final. The game will begin at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Sycamores are favored by 2.5 points (-110) going into the semifinal match after narrowly defeating Cincinnati in the previous round. They will be up against a strong Utes team that easily defeated VCU by 20 points. Tuesday’s game will showcase talented big men and many capable scorers on both sides.

As we make our college basketball predictions, we are also providing our top picks for the Utah vs. Indiana State matchup. Our confidence in these picks is rated on a 1-to-5-star scale and the odds are provided by our top March Madness betting sites.

Game information for the Utah vs. Indiana State matchup shows Utah leading with a score of 2, while Indiana State trails with a score of 1.

  • When: Tuesday, April 2
  • The tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
  • How to watch: ESPN
  • Top pick: Indiana State -2.5 with -110 odds at FanDuel.

Odds for the Utah vs. Indiana State game

Prediction for the Utah vs. Indiana State game

Branden Carlson is projected to score over 15.5 points, earning a four-star rating.

FanDuel has the best odds at -118.

The decision to choose the Virginia Cavaliers over Indiana State for the NCAA Tournament deprived college basketball enthusiasts of the opportunity to witness Sycamores standout Robbie Avila captivate audiences with his unique style of play. Avila, known for his signature goggles, shooting range, and impressive passing abilities, is not the only talented big man competing in the NIT semifinals.

Similar to Indiana State, Utah’s potent offense is spearheaded by their versatile center. Branden Carlson leads the team in scoring with an average of 17.0 points per game, while also ranking second in 3-pointers made per game (1.8) and fourth in 3-point percentage (37.6%). Standing at 7 feet tall, the three-time All-Pac-12 center presents a distinct matchup problem for the Sycamores.

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Indiana State head coach Josh Schertz prioritizes a fast-paced offense that scores the seventh-most points in the country at 84.6 per game. However, this offensive focus comes at the expense of their defense, as the Sycamores rank 109th in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom, allowing 72.6 points per game.

Their biggest struggles have been on the interior, where they rank 66th in the country for allowing an average of 19.8 2-pointers per game. Carlson, with his size advantage and impressive 57.2% shooting from inside the arc, is likely to cause problems for Avila and his teammates. Additionally, Carlson’s versatility as a 3-point shooter could create mismatches against a defense that gives up a 33.5% shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

Even sweeter is the value that FanDuel is providing on this line – with a point total of 16.5 compared to other sportsbooks. DraftKings’ -125 odds suggest a 55.56% chance of him reaching 17 points, based on our odds calculator. However, we only require 16 points and with -118 odds, a $10 bet could lead to a profit of $8.47.

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Analysis of the Utah vs. Indiana State spread and Over/Under

After defeating Cincinnati in the quarterfinals, the Sycamores opened as 3.5-point favorites on our top sports betting apps. However, the line has shifted with BetMGM still favoring Indiana State by 3.5 points, while FanDuel has adjusted to 2.5 points. Indiana State has a strong record of 21-14-1 against the spread this season, while Utah has covered in seven of its last nine games and holds a 19-17 record.

The game initially had a high opening total of 166 due to both teams having strong offenses. However, it has since dropped to 163.5 but may rise back up to 165.5 before the game starts. Indiana State has a record of 21-15 betting the Over this season, hitting it in four of their last five games. The Utes have also had success with the Over, going 19-16-1.

Prediction for the Utah-Indiana State game was made on Monday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

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