NCAA Basketball Drake Bulldogs vs Indiana State Sycamores: Odds, Tips and Predictions 02/03/24

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Prediction: Bet Indiana State to cover

• Over/Under: Drake vs Indiana (155.5)
• Spread: Indiana State -5.5
• Pick: Bet Indiana State to cover

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This is for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference, and a win by the Sycamores puts them up a couple of games in the league. This is a must-win for Drake, and it comes at a sold-out Hulman Center. Indiana State looks to be a threat come tournament time, but Drake, as always, will present a significant test.

The Sycamores have been dominating in the Missouri Valley Conference so far. Their only setback has been their loss against the Bulldogs last month.

If you are unfamiliar with the Sycamores, make time on Saturday afternoon to catch this exciting Mid-Major team in action – they feature shooters throughout their starting lineup!

The Sycamores boast four starters who shoot at or above 40% from deep, placing them 11th nationally for adjusted offensive efficiency.

Indiana State is among the Top-5 in each offensive category:

The Sycamores don’t possess much depth, which is now something to worry about headed towards tournament time.

Indiana State isn’t known for its defense, but their offense can more than make up for that deficit. A plus: They rarely commit fouls while remaining disciplined on defense.

Their defense may struggle in this game, but they won’t allow the Bulldogs to score easy points at the foul line like they did in their last meeting (where the Bulldogs shot 19 for 21 from the charity stripe).

Due to their disciplined defense, I don’t expect the Bulldogs to come close to reaching the line as frequently during this contest.

The Bulldogs boast an impressive roster, but there is cause to believe they may be vulnerable.

Their strength of schedule ranks 202nd nationwide. There’s the possibility that this team could be overrated. Still, it’s hard to ignore the fact that they beat the Sycamores a few weeks ago at home.

Both teams can put on an impressive offensive display; however, the Sycamores remain vastly superior as a unit.

The Bulldogs rank within the top 50 nationally for adjusted offensive efficiency; however, their defense is much weaker. In their previous head-to-head meeting against the Sycamores they shot 11-30 from deep.

Not a terrible performance for one of the nation’s best 3-point shooting teams; nonetheless, can they duplicate that performance on the road?

I don’t expect that the Bulldogs have as much luck here.

Point Guard Connor Enright and Forward Tucker DeVries form an incredible duo that can cause problems at multiple points on the court. DeVries shoots 37% from 3-point range.

Enright leads his team in 3-point shooting, but their only path to victory lies on the perimeter. Sycamores’ game plan for success involves shooting as many 3-point shots as possible in order to stay ahead of the competition throughout.

Indiana State is at home, and they have superior firepower. I think Indiana State controls this game the whole way and eventually wins by ten points. Indiana State 87  Drake 77.

Tip:

Indiana State to Cover

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-5.5

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