The Indiana State Sycamores and Utah Utes hook up at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the NIT Semifinal on Tuesday with a chance to make a title game on the line.
Utah Utes vs. Indiana State Sycamores (-3.5, 163.5)
Though Indiana State is not technically playing a home game, their campus is nearly 80 miles away from Hinkle Fieldhouse while Utah has to travel through multiple time zones.
Games away from home have been an issue for Utah with the team 5-12 straight up in games played in a road or neutral court setting and are allowing 17.5 points more per 100 possessions when playing away from home.
The Utes defense has its work cut out from them as Indiana State ranks seventh in the country in points scored on a per possession basis while Utah is 88th in points scored on a per possessions basis.
Utah is also allowing opponents to shoot 36.5% from 3-point range in games played away from home, which ranks 293rd in the country while the Sycamores is fourth in the nation in 3-point shooting in games played away from home at 38.8%.
In a tight game Utah’s free throw shooting can also be problematic with the team 347th in the country in free throw shooting percentage at 65.2% while Indiana State is shooting 80.2% at the free throw line, which is second in the country.
While Indiana State ranks just 101st nationally in points allowed on a per possession basis, the are allowing 4.3 points per 100 possessions fewer in games played away from home than Utah and are 52nd in overall rebound rate while Utah is 80th.
with Utah’s issues in road and neutral court games and Indiana State’s offensive firepower coupled with playing very close to their campus, the Sycamores will advance to the NIT Final.
The Play: Indiana State -3.5
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