Juan Pablo Aravena
Undoubtedly the most competitive match of all those that are in the First Four of March Madness. Both have had campaigns that have exceeded the expectations set since before the start of the campaign. Indiana has a well-rounded defense while Wyoming has wide-spread offensive versatility. The winner of this match will face the University of Saint Mary’s.
Picks and Predictions for the ndiana Hoosiers vs Wyoming Cowboys NCAA Basketball Championship First Four Game on March 15 2022
Where: University of Dayton Arena – Dayton, Ohio
When: Tuesday, March 15th, 9:10 PM ET
Betting Line: Indiana Hoosiers (-4) vs Wyoming Cowboys (+4)
Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview
- Overall record: 20-13
- Conference record: 20-13
- Spread: -4
- Over/Under: Over 132
- Moneyline: -180
As we mentioned before, the Hoosiers stand out for their great collective defense, although they could be better when it comes to defending the perimeter. Fortunately, the Cowboys are at their best when attacking the rim and playing in the paint, so the Hoosiers could be well covered in this scenario.
The key point for Indiana will be the performance of Trayve Jackson-Davis, their best offensive player by a wide margin (18.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks), as well as being one of the main reasons why their defense is one of the best in the country. The team is completely dependent night after night to Trayce putting up the necessary numbers, because beyond him and Xavier Johnson, along with Race Thompson, there are no other alternatives capable of carrying the Hoosiers offense with any sort of consistency.
Wyoming Cowboys Betting Preview
- Overall record: 25-8
- Conference record: 25-8
- Spread: +4
- Over/Under: Under 132
- Moneyline: +155
Graham Ike and Hunter Maldonado are the cornerstones of this team offensively, as they carry more than half of the scoring load and average a combined 38 points, 15.4 rebounds and 7.6 assists each night. Other options could be Drake Jeffries (10.5 points per game while shooting 42 percent from deep) and Brandon Wetzel.
This offensive diversity makes this Cowboys team a very dangerous one against Indiana, but they have defensive deficiencies due to not applying enough pressure or causing enough turnovers. Having two men all the time on top of Trace Jackson-Davis could nullify his offensive production, and that could be exactly what they need to slow Indiana down. If they accomplish that, then Wyoming has enough talent on offense to close things out.
JefeBet Prediction
Another game that is too close to predict with confidence. It could easily go anywhere, but the Wyoming Cowboys definitely look like the best bet to advance further in the NCAA Tournament, especially since Indiana’s offensive limitations won’t take them as far as Hunter Maldonado and Graham Ike can. Indiana will be eliminated by a score of 75-72.
