Indiana Hoosiers vs. Saint Mary’s Gaels Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Indiana Hoosiers (21-13) of the Big Ten Conference will meet the Saint Mary's Gaels (25-7) of the West Coast Conference (WCC) in first-round action in the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 7:20 p.m. ET at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. The game can be viewed on TBS.

Sign up to get daily betting columns directly to your inbox!

Score Prediction

Saint Mary's 69, Indiana 66

Best Bet

Saint Mary's ATS

NCAA Tournament Expert Picks | NIT Tournament Picks

MARCH MADNESS BETTING RESOURCES

INDIANA HOOSIERS vs. SAINT MARY'S GAELS PREDICTIONS

Indiana made it through its First Four game in Dayton, Ohio with a 66-58 win over Wyoming, covering a 4-point number as the UNDER connected. The close proximity to Bloomington helped the Big Ten representative, but now Indiana must hop a plane and fly across the country to Portland, Ore. in time for Thursday's game. In the East Region. You know. Portland, Oregon. I don't mean to sound old, although I am sure I'll be accused, and you're not wrong, but remember when East Region games were actually played, I don't know, in the east?

Anyhoo, Saint Mary's is in the West, coming out of Moraga, Calif., and this is a team with the tools to beat anyone. This team topped Gonzaga, the No. 1 overall seed in this NCAA Tournament, so facing a mid-tier Big Ten rep, even one with the history and blue blood name of Indiana, won't faze the Gaels in the least bit. SMC did lose 82-69 against Gonzaga last time out, pushing against a 13-point number at most shops, in the WCC Final.

INDIANA HOOSIERS vs. SAINT MARY'S GAELS BETTING ODDS

  • Indiana +130
  • Saint Mary's -150
  • Indiana +3 (-110)
  • Saint Mary's -3 (-110)
  • Over 127.5 (-110)
  • Under 127.5 (-110)

More Odds | Futures Odds

INDIANA HOOSIERS vs. SAINT MARY'S GAELS BETTING RESOURCES

  • Date: Thursday, March 17, 2022
  • Matchup: No. 12 vs. No. 5
  • Region: East
  • Venue: Moda Center
  • Location: Portland, Ore.
  • TV-Time: TBS - 7:20 p.m. ET

INDIANA HOOSIERS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

  • SU: 21-13
  • ATS: 20-14
  • O/U: 16-18

Indiana was floundering down the stretch of the regular season, dropping seven of the final nine games, and it appeared the Hoosiers might be headed for the NIT. But Indiana came alive in the Big Ten tourney, topping Michigan and Illinois, before exiting in the semifinals against eventual champ Iowa. The Hoosiers lost just 80-77 against the Hawkeyes, covering a 5.5-point number. In fact, Indiana has covered five in a row, and that's its longest successful stretch since a 6-0 ATS run from Feb. 19-March 10 to close out the 2018-19 regular season.

Indiana has cashed in four straight as an underdog, while going 5-0 ATS in the past five neutral-site games. It is also 5-0 ATS in the past five against teams with a winning overall record, while going 6-1 ATS in the past seven neutral-site games as a 'dog. Indiana is also 4-1 ATS in the past five NCAA Tournament games.

Perhaps the legs will be a little tired, as Indiana plays its fourth game in seven days. They're 1-3-1 ATS the previous five times it has played a fourth game within seven days.

For totals, the UNDER is 22-10-2 in the past 34 as an underdog, while going 5-2 in the past seven neutral-site affairs.

SAINT MARY'S GAELS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

  • SU: 25-7
  • ATS: 19-10-2
  • O/U: 15-15-1

As mentioned above, Saint Mary's lost by 13 in the WCC Final, and it is a very ordinary 6-3 SU in the past nine games with a 4-3-2 ATS mark. Of course, two of those losses were against Gonzaga, with another at Santa Clara on Feb. 8. The Gaels were great at home, including the 67-57 win over Gonzaga in the regular-season finale on Feb. 26. But in the past five trips away from home, either a true road game or neutral site outing, they're just 2-3 SU/1-2-2 ATS, with only wins over non-tournament teams Santa Clara and San Diego. And Santa Clara is already eliminated in the NIT, having bowed out at Washington State on Wednesday.

The Gaels have covered in each of the past six games following a straight-up loss, while going 10-4-2 ATS in the past 16 games overall, and 13-5 ATS in the past 18 games as a favorite. While that's well and good, they're just 2-6-1 ATS in the past nine neutral-site games, and 2-5 ATS in the past seven trips to the NCAA Tournament.

For totals, the UNDER has cashed in nine of the past 12 neutral-site games, while going 7-1 in the previous eight games in the NCAA Tournament. The OVER is 10-3-1 in the past 14 as a favorite, however, while going 5-0 in the past five following a SU loss.

Saint Mary's has posted an 8-3-2 ATS record in the past 13 games vs. winning teams. (AP)

INSIDE THE STATS - INDIANA HOOSIERS

  • Record: 21-13
  • PS/G: 71.5 (160th)
  • PA/G: 65.9 (80th)

INSIDE THE STATS - SAINT MARY'S GAELS

  • Record: 25-7
  • PS/G: 69.8 (214th)
  • PA/G: 60.5 (12th)

KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH

  • IU: Trayce Jackson-Davis - F (17.4 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.4 BPG, 1.9 APG, 57.8 FG%)
  • IU: Xavier Johnson - G (11.8 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 37.0 3P%)
  • SMC: Tommy Kuhse - G (11.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 50.2 FG%, 44.9 3P%)
  • SMC: Matthias Tass - F (12.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 54.4 FG%, 79.2 FT%)

INDIANA HOOSIERS vs. SAINT MARY'S GAELS BETTING CONCLUSION

Indiana heads into this one with the confidence of an NCAA Tournament win, dropping a very good Wyoming team in the play-in game. But now IU must go cross-country in less than 48 hours and play a top-tier team like Saint Mary's. We have seen plenty of 12-5 upsets in recent seasons, but this isn't going to be one of them.

However, don't write off the Hoosiers completely. The triumvirate of Trayce Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Xavier Johnson give them a chance to beat most anybody. Matthias Tass is going to be a handful, however, and the Estonian-born big is going to be the reason why the Gaels survive and advance, but not without a scare.

MARCH MADNESS PICK RESOURCES

INDIANA HOOSIERS vs. SAINT MARY'S GAELS BETTING TRENDS

  • Indiana is 5-0 ATS in the past five games overall.
  • Indiana is 4-0 ATS in the past four games as an underdog.
  • Indiana is 4-1 ATS in the past five NCAA Tournament games.
  • Indiana is 5-0 ATS in the past five neutral-site games.
  • Indiana is 5-0 ATS in the past five vs. winning teams.
  • Saint Mary's is 10-4-2 ATS in the past 16 games overall.
  • Saint Mary's is 13-5 ATS in the past 18 games as a favorite.
  • Saint Mary's is 8-3-2 ATS in the past 13 vs. winning teams.
  • Saint Mary's is 2-5 ATS in the past seven NCAA Tournament games.
  • Saint Mary's is 2-6-1 ATS in the past nine neutral-site games.
  • The UNDER is 22-10-2 in the past 34 for Indiana as an underdog.
  • The UNDER is 5-2 in the past seven neutral-site games for Indiana.
  • The OVER is 10-3-1 in the past 14 as a favorite for Saint Mary's.
  • The UNDER is 7-1 in the past eight NCAA Tournament games for Saint Mary's.
  • The UNDER is 9-3-2 in the past 12 neutral-game games for Saint Mary's.