Indiana State vs Drake Odds
| Indiana State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -115 | 156.5 -110o / -110u | +110 |
| Drake Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -105 | 156.5 -110o / -110u | -135 |
The Missouri Valley Conference is routinely one of the most entertaining mid-major leagues in college hoops.
There's plenty of competitive nature and devoted fanbases in the conference, and we're looking at the league's top-two squads meeting in Des Moines, Iowa.
Indiana State Sycamores
Indiana State is hoping to supplant Drake as the perceived favorite in the Valley. Most people who intently follow the league know how good the Sycamores are, but beating Drake in Des Moines could generate some serious attention.
The Sycamores enter play at 12-2, with their two losses coming against Alabama and Michigan State. In both games, Indiana State competed until the high-major foes flexed their muscles late.
Indiana State's elite offense scored plenty against the high majors, so facing Drake shouldn't be an obstacle, right?
Josh Schertz is arguably the best offensive mind in college hoops. He won plenty during his days coaching D-II ball, and it's translated to winning games at the D-I level.
Indiana State runs a high-octane offense, ranking 36th in Offensive Efficiency, according to KenPom. The men from Terre Haute, Indiana, have the best effective field goal percentage and the fourth-highest 3-point shooting percentage in America.
Indiana State isn't only an elite shooting team (it shoots 3s on 48% of its field goals), but it's also one of the most modern offenses in America. Schertz deploys five shooters, spaces the floor in a five-out scheme and wants as many points as possible.
Isaiah Swope and Robbie Avila are two all-leaguers for the Sycamores. Swope leads the team with 18.9 points on 48% shooting and 44% from 3. He also has a clutch gene that very few in America replicate.
The other star — Avila — couldn't be more different than the 5-foot-10 Swope. Avila does a little bit of everything for Indiana State, averaging 14.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 dimes a night. He's the engine of Schertz's offense at the five spot.
Drake Bulldogs
The Drake Bulldogs lost to Belmont on Saturday, and that defeat brought some concerns to the forefront. Drake allowed 87 points with a staggering 1.28 points per possession. Plus, Drake shot just 5-of-23 from downtown, and Tucker DeVries scored only 13 points.
Drake's offense relies on shooting from outside, attempting triples on 41% of its field goals. The only issue is Drake is shooting only 32% from downtown. That's not an ideal formula for offensive success.
Although Drake isn't a great shooting team, it's one of the best 2-point scoring teams in college hoops, converting on 57.6% of 2s.
The biggest difference in Drake's attack is noticeable: There's no more Roman Penn to calm down the troops. You always knew Drake's point guard position would stand strong with Penn running the show and creating for others. Now DeVries is shouldering the ball-handling duties more often without Penn.
Adding more to DeVries's plate has impacted his overall effectiveness, as he's shooting a career-low 31% from deep and owns a career-high in turnovers.
Drake has some real issues to address against the hottest team in the Valley, and that's not ideal.
Indiana State vs. Drake
Betting Pick & Prediction
We just saw Belmont decimate Drake's defense using a similar play style. Did head coach Darian DeVries use that loss as a teaching point entering this game, or is Drake just mediocre against elite shooting teams?
I lean towards the latter.
Indiana State's offense is a well-oiled machine, while Drake is still figuring out its way of winning on both ends.
Sure, DeVries can make some bail-out shots, but the offense isn't nearly as fluid.
Back the Trees.
Pick: Indiana State ML (Play to -1.5)
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