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Wichita State and Indiana clash Friday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox
Published: 3/19/2015  at  5:08:00 PM
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INDIANA HOOSIERS (20-13)

vs. WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS (28-4)

CenturyLink Arena - Omaha, NE
NCAA Tournament – Second Round
Tip-off: Friday, 2:45 p.m. ET
Line: Wichita State -5.5

No. 7 seed Wichita State will try to show the tournament committee that it was deserving of a higher seed when it takes on No. 10 seed Indiana Friday.

Here is the BetDSI Sportsbook betting preview for this matchup:

Indiana barely squeezed into the tournament field, as the team really did everything it could to lose its spot late in the year. The Hoosiers lost 75-69 as 2-point underdogs in the Big Ten tournament on Mar. 13. It was their fourth loss in their past five games both SU and ATS. Indiana allowed 70+ points in each of those four losses, so it will need to play solid defense Friday. Wichita State, meanwhile, lost 65-62 as an 8-point favorite versus Illinois State in its conference tournament. The Shockers had won nine straight games SU and covered in six of those games before the loss. This will be the first time that these teams have ever met. The Hoosiers are 7-1 ATS after failing to cover in four or five of their past six games this season. The Shockers, meanwhile, are 27-10 ATS after two consecutive conference games over the past two seasons. They are also 32-16 ATS after playing three consecutive games as a favorite in that time. F Zach Bush (Foot) is out indefinitely for Wichita State, but Indiana is not currently dealing with any significant injuries.

Indiana has an explosive offense that averages 77.5 PPG (18th in NCAA) on 46.6% shooting (48th in NCAA). The problem is that the team allows 71.4 PPG (298th in NCAA) and also happens to be very small inside. Luckily for Indiana, Wichita State plays four guards and doesn’t have a true center in the starting lineup. If the Hoosiers were to upset the Shockers Friday then it would mean that G Yogi Ferrell (16.1 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.3 RPG) likely played an unbelievable game. Ferrell is one of the best point guards in the nation and has scored 17+ points in each of the past three games. He is a very good outside shooter (41% 3PT) and also has the quickness to blow by his opponents to finish at the rim. G James Blackmon Jr. (15.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.6 APG) is another dynamic player in this backcourt. The freshman stepped in this season and immediately became one of the better guards in the Big Ten. Like Ferrell, Blackmon Jr. is a very good outside shooter (39% 3PT) and he also knows how to get to the basket. He had just six points in the loss to Maryland on Mar. 13, but he had 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds the game before against Northwestern. With the Hoosiers lacking size recently, F Troy Williams (13.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.9 APG) has needed to step his game up on the glass. Williams has been a monster in that regard, averaging 10.2 RPG over the past five contests. He has also blocked 2.5 shots per game in the past two contests and he’ll need to continue to affect the game in those ways against Wichita State.

The Shockers have a solid offense, scoring 69.7 PPG (108th in NCAA) on 44.6% shooting (102nd in NCAA). Their defense, however, is what makes them as great as they are. Wichita State is allowing just 55.8 PPG (7th in NCAA) this season and that makes the team a very tough matchup for an Indiana squad that only knows how to score. Gs Ron Baker (15.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG) and Fred VanVleet (12.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.8 SPG) make up one of the best backcourts in the entire nation. Baker is a very good outside shooter (39% 3PT) and is a very tough player to guard due to his craftiness. He doesn’t have the athleticism that Indiana’s guards have, but he will find a way to score on Friday. VanVleet, however, is very quick and should be able to use that speed to get into the lane. He has excellent vision and will either finish at the rim himself or find an open teammate. VanVleet can also shoot the ball very well (37% 3PT) and it will be a very interesting game to watch, as the Hoosiers’ backcourt will not back down from them. G Tekele Cotton (9.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG) is another player in this backcourt that is not to be forgotten. Cotton is very fast and has a lot of toughness, getting most of his points around the basket. He’ll need to play some excellent defense in this game as he could guard Yogi Ferrell if his teammates struggle. F Darius Carter (11.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG) is the only non-guard that starts for the Shockers. Carter will see a lot of time matched up with Troy Williams and he’ll need to box out and play tough around the basket. If he does not contribute on the glass then Wichita State will have a lot of trouble advancing.


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