NCAA Tournament Picks: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Syracuse Orange

The Indiana Hoosiers have covered the spread in four of their last five games against Big East Conference opponents, which is important to consider when making your NCAA tournament picks Thursday night as they take on the Syracuse Orange.

Sports bettors will find that the Hoosiers are 5.5-point neutral-site favorites in the college basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 135.5 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at this Sweet 16 matchup from a betting perspective, while offering up an against-the-spread pick along the way.

Indiana Hoosiers

The Indiana Hoosiers are coming off a hard-fought 58-52 victory over the Temple Owls as 12-point neutral-site favorites Sunday, while going under the posted total of 147.5.

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Hoosiers are 5-11 against the spread on a neutral floor, with the under going 9-7 in those contests.

Syracuse Orange

The Syracuse Orange advanced past the Round of 32 in the 2013 NCAA tournament with a 66-60 victory over the California Golden Bears as 7.5-point favorites last Saturday, while going over the posted total of 125.5.

Sports bettors will find that the Orange are 6-7 straight up and against the spread as underdogs the last two-plus seasons.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Indiana Hoosiers as one of their college basketball picks Thursday night, as they've gone 16-6-1 against the spread in their last 23 non-conference games.

NCAA Basketball Pick: Indiana Hoosiers -5.5

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