Cincinnati vs Indiana State Prediction & Best Bets (NIT Quarterfinals): Sycamores Seek Short Trip to Indy

With the NIT semifinals and championship game in Indianapolis this year, it would only be fitting for an Indiana team to be a part of the festivities in the basketball-mad state. Will Indiana State duly oblige, or will Cincinnati stop the Sycamores short?

Selection Sunday was agonizing for Indiana State, who missed out on an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after losing to Drake in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

But instead of declining an NIT bid or not putting in maximum effort in the NIT, the Sycamores have embraced the opportunity to play postseason basketball for just the 12^th time in the program’s history as a Division I program.

As one of four #1 seeds in the 32-team NIT bracket, that means three home games for the Sycamores (30-6). And after eliminating SMU and Minnesota in the first two rounds, ISU will get 40 more minutes at the Hulman Center. There, they are 15-1 this season with a lone loss to Illinois State.

Second-seeded Cincinnati (22-14) didn’t suffer disappointment on the same level as Indiana State, but the Bearcats were in the NCAA Tournament picture until losing too many Big 12 games. But, like the Sycamores, the Bearcats have embraced the opportunity to play in the NIT. And after a tight win over San Francisco, they brushed aside Bradley in the second round.

Will they take out another MVC squad to reach the NIT semifinals for the first time since 1955? Read on.

Cincinnati vs Indiana State Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today’s NIT, CBI, and CIT action.

Spread

• Cincinnati +3.5 (-105)
• Indiana State -3.5 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 150 (-110)
• Under 150 (-110)

Moneyline

• Cincinnati +150
• Indiana State -170

Looking for more picks for today’s games? Our NCAA basketball picks page features moneyline, spread, and total (over/under) picks for today’s NIT games.

Cincinnati vs Indiana State Betting Analysis and Prediction

Just like Georgia, who will face Ohio State in the first of tonight’s NIT quarterfinal matchups (7:00 pm ET, ESPN), Cincinnati has an excellent ATS record as an underdog.

This season, the Bearcats are just 3-8 SU as an underdog. However, they are 8-3 ATS in that spot, including a 7-2 ATS mark (3-6 SU) as an underdog on the road.

With a smallish spread, this is a spot where I’ll typically take the team I expect to win to cover.

Of our aggregated picks for this matchup between the Bearcats and Sycamores, one source (Wunderdog) has a predicted score of 80-76 Indiana State.

That outcome—Indiana State and the over—aligns with my views.

The Bearcats are from the bigger conference, have some notable wins this season (at BYU, at Texas Tech, versus Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament), and played Houston within double digits both at home and on the road this season, which is no small feat.

In fact, Cincinnati was my pick to advance from this bracket, with the thought that Selection Sunday disappointment would lead to an early NIT exit for Indiana State.

But this Sycamores team is clearly a special team. And though they did not get to showcase it in the Big Dance, I think there are at least two more games remaining in their season.

Cincinnati vs Indiana State Best Bets

Indiana State -3.5 & Cincinnati/Indiana State Over 155

Bonus Picks: Ryan Conwell Over 16.5 points (-114 at BetOnline) & Over 2.5 Made Threes (-125 at Bovada)

Conwell might well still be kicking himself for not having his best game in the MVC title tilt (13 points, 1-4 3PT, four fouls), but he has put up a lot of points down the final stretch of the season.

Over his last six games, Conwell is averaging 20.8 PPG and has scored 20+ points five times, In the NIT, he had 25 points against SMU (8 of 11 FG, 4 of 7 3PT, 5 of 7 FT) and 23 against Minnesota (7 of 11 FG, 6 of 8 3PT, 3 of 3 FT).

Cincinnati shut down Bradley (5 of 23), a solid three-point shooting team in the second round. But for the season, they are 154^th nationally defending the three (33.2%). I like Conwell, who shoots 41.9% from three and averages 2.9 made threes and 6.9 three-point attempts per game, to be able to can at least a trio of treys tonight.

Other NIT and NCAA Basketball Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on the NIT?

Each year, millions upon of millions of March Madness bets are placed at the top online sports betting sites.

However, the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments are not the only college basketball action going on in late March.

NIT odds are easy to find, and many sportsbooks also offer odds for the CBI (College Basketball Invitational) and CIT (College Insider Tournament), two other Division I men’s college basketball postseason tournaments.

Numerous sportsbooks are good for betting on March Madness and the other postseason tournaments. But in addition to BetOnline, here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (Review)
• BetUS (Review)
• Bovada (Review)
• MyBookie (Review)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Speaking of offers, keep an eye on the latest sportsbook offers from these books and others as the countdown to the opening tip of March Madness continues. That way, you will not miss out on any special sports betting promos and bonuses to pad your bankroll for March Madness betting.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you liked this Cincinnati vs Indiana State betting breakdown and would like to check out our other March Madness/college basketball content, our March Madness guide is where you can find it all in one tidy place. But here’s a rundown of some of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting this year.

• Men’s March Madness Futures Odds
• Women’s March Madness Futures Odds
• 2024 Men’s Final Four Odds
• Six Men’s March Madness Sleepers for 2024
• March Madness Betting Trends & Stats to Know for 2024
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites for This Year
• This Year’s Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge!)

Interested in Learning More About Betting on March Madness & NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on men’s or women’s NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on March Madness, the Mountain West, the MAAC, McNeese State, and beyond.

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

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more March Madness and NCAA basketball insight from myself and the rest of our team. We’re cooking up a lot of great NCAA Tournament content for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, so hit those links so you don’t miss out on any of it.

• Betting News on “X”/Twitter
• Betting News on Twitch
• Betting News on TikTok

Who do you think will win this year’s NIT? Get your bets in at BetOnline, where you can get a 100% welcome bonus if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, or another cryptocurrency.