Missouri State vs Indiana State MVC Tournament Prediction & Best Bets: Sycamores Seek Safe Passage to Semis

Indiana State has had a fantastic season, but it may not end in the NCAA Tournament if the Sycamores don’t win the Missouri Valley Conference’s automatic bid. Their quest to do so stats this afternoon against Missouri State, who pushed Indiana State in a tight game in Springfield last month.

Will we see a close contest in today’s opener at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis? Read on for our Missouri State vs Indiana State prediction and best bets.

Missouri State vs Indiana State Game Information

• Matchup: Missouri State Bears (17-15, 17-14-1 ATS, 17-14 O/U) vs Indiana State Sycamores (26-5, 17-13 ATS, 17-13 O/U)
• Date: Friday, March 8, 2024
• Time: 1:00 pm ET
• Broadcast: MVC TV

Indiana State, who won the Missouri Valley regular season title for the first time since 2000, has 26 wins and a NET of 30 entering today. But with only one Quad 1 win, the Sycamores will face a nervous wait for Selection Sunday if they exit the MVC Tournament early.

Reaching the championship game won’t guarantee anything, but it would help Indiana State’s cause. And if they can do that, they will reach 28 wins for the first time since future Hall of Famer Larry Bird led the program to a 33-1 record and the national championship game in 1979.

First up is a matchup with Missouri State, the #9 seed in St. Louis. The Bears, who went 8-12 in MVC play, are coming off of a 60-35 win over #8 seed Murray State yesterday. The Bears were outstanding defensively against the Racers, but repeating that against the best offensive squad in the MVC might be a task too tall for them.

Missouri State vs Indiana State Basketball Odds

Spread

• Missouri State +11.5 (-107)
• Indiana State -11.5 (-113)

Over/Under

• Over 149 (-115)
• Under 149 (-105)

Moneyline

• Missouri State +615
• Indiana State -850

Looking for more men’s college hoops picks for tonight’s schedule? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for all of tonight’s top games. That includes this matchup, VCU vs Dayton, and Boise State vs San Diego State.

Missouri State vs Indiana Prediction and Best Bets

Missouri State vs Indiana Betting Analysis and Prediction

In the regular season, Missouri State went 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS against the teams that finished in the top five in the Missouri Valley Conference standings: 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS vs Indiana State, 1-1 SU and ATS versus Drake, 0-2 SU and 0-2 ATS versus Bradley, 0-2 SU and ATS versus Northern Iowa, and 1-1 ATS and SU versus Belmont.

Indiana State, meanwhile, was 10-1 SU and 5-6 ATS against the six teams that finished with a losing record in MVC play: 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS versus Murray State, 0-1 SU and ATS versus Illinois State, 2-0 SU and 1-1 versus Missouri State, 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS versus Evansville, 2-0 SU and 0-2 ATS versus Illinois-Chicago, and 2-0 SU and 2-0 ATS versus Valparaiso.

When these two teams met in the regular season, Indiana State covered at home as a 12-point favorite in an 88-66 victory January 16 and didn’t cover as a seven-point favorite in a 73-71 win at Missouri State on February 10.

I don’t think we will see an upset, but I do think the Bears can cover a sizable spread.

They did well to hold the Sycamores to 73 points in their previous matchup, but that is just one of four times thus far this season that Indiana State has failed to score at least 75 points. And since the MVC regular season champs were held to 69 points in a loss at Southern Illinois on February 17, they have scored 83, 88, 85, and 89 points in winning their last four games.

If Indiana State reaches even the 75-point mark, Missouri State, who has scored 75+ points just 11 times in 32 games this season, does not have the firepower to match them.

Prediction: Indiana State to win but not cover

Missouri State vs Indiana Best Bets

Missouri State/Indiana State first half over 70 & Ryan Conwell over 15.5 points

In both regular season meetings, Conwell torched Missouri State. At home, he had 25 points (7 of 10 FG, 4 of 7 3PT, 7 of 11 FT), five rebounds, and three assists. And on the road, he had 24 points (9 of 15 FG, 6 of 10 3PT, 0 of 1 FT), four rebounds, and two assists.

Other NCAA Basketball Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on NCAA Basketball?

Throughout the college basketball season, you can find NCAA basketball odds at the top online sports betting sites. That includes prominent names like BetDSI, BetOnline, BetUS, and Bovada.

Along with game odds, many sportsbooks offer men’s and women’s March Madness futures odds, Final Four odds, Wooden Award odds, and more.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Our reviews analyze available betting options, deposit and payout options, mobile and live betting, and the sportsbook sign-up bonuses and other promos offered.

• BetDSI Sportsbook Review
• BetOnline Sportsbook Review
• BetUS Sportsbook Review
• Bovada Sportsbook Review
• MyBookie Sportsbook Review

Interested in Learning More About Betting on NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on the action from the Mountain West to the MAAC and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, check out our March Madness guide, and learn valuable March Madness betting tips, where you can find the best March Madness bracket challenges, who the Final Four favorites are, and much more.

• March Madness Guide

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