#10 Arizona Wildcats at #14 Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview
The #10 Arizona Wildcats (7-1) and the #14 Indiana Hoosiers (8-1) battle it out in the Las Vegas Clash in a doubleheader basketball event. Saturday marks the first time these two storied basketball programs will face each other in competition.
The tip-off of the doubleheader nightcap is at 7:30 p.m. EST inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Arizona is a 1.5-point favorite, and the over/under total is currently at 157.5 points.
What to Know – #10 Arizona Wildcats
Arizona bounced back earlier in the week with a victory over Cal after dropping its first contest of the season last weekend to Utah. The Wildcats are one of the top teams in the nation, thanks to one of the top offenses amongst Division 1 programs. Tommy Lloyd is in his second season as the head coach of the Wildcats.
According to KenPom, Arizona is ranked 18th overall, sitting second in adjusted offensive efficiency and 65th in adjusted defense efficiency.
On offense, Arizona pours in 91.5 points per game thanks to 55.2% shooting from the floor and 36.5% shooting from three. The Wildcats’ defense holds opponents to 77.6 points per game, 41.4% shooting from the field, and 35.2% shooting from beyond the arc.
The Wildcats are 1-6 against the spread over their last seven games but 4-1 ATS in their last five against opponents from the Big Ten. The over has hit in 12 of Arizona’s last 17 games, including six of the last seven away from Tucson.
What to Know – #14 Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are back in the national spotlight after years of obscurity in a talent-rich basketball state. Indiana’s lone loss came on the road to a tough Rutgers team to kick off the conference slate. Former NBA head coach and Indiana graduate Mike Woodson is in his second season at the helm for the Hoosiers.
KenPom has Indiana ranked as the tenth-best team in the nation, ranking 27th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 11th on the defensive end.
The Hoosiers average 82.1 points per game, hitting 52.2% of their shots from the floor and 35.9% from the 3-point line. Defensively, Indiana surrenders 61.0 points per contest while holding teams to 37.1% shooting from the field and 28.8% from three.
Indiana has been an impressive 11-3-1 ATS over its last 15 games but 0-5 ATS in games played on Saturday. Four of the last six games for the Hoosiers hit the under.
The Pick is In
A pair of elite programs meet for the first time, and it’ll be televised nationally in primetime. Both of these teams shoot the ball efficiently, with the Hoosiers holding an edge on the defensive end. Indiana is holding opponents to below 30% shooting from the outside, and that will be a difference-maker Saturday evening.
An exciting and tight contest throughout, the Hoosiers’ defense comes up with the necessary stops at the end of the game to pull away with the victory.
The Pick: #10 Indiana Hoosiers ML
