The South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington, IN. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. ET on Peacock.
The Hoosiers are favored by 7 points on the spread with a moneyline of -310. The total is also set at 145.
Here’s my South Carolina vs. Indiana predictions and college basketball picks for November 16, 2024.
South Carolina vs Indiana Prediction
My Pick: Indiana -7.5
My South Carolina vs Indiana best bet is on the Hoosiers spread, with the best odds currently available at Caesars. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
South Carolina vs Indiana Odds
| South Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -115 | 145 -108 / -112 | +250 |
| Indiana Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -105 | 145 -108 / -112 | -310 |
- South Carolina vs Indiana spread: Indiana -7
- South Carolina vs Indiana over/under: 145 points
- South Carolina vs Indiana moneyline: Indiana -310, South Carolina +250
- South Carolina vs Indiana best bet: Indiana -7.5
Spread
I'm on the Hoosiers.
Moneyline
I have no play on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I would take the under in a game between two defensive-minded teams.
My Pick:Â Indiana -7.5
South Carolina vs Indiana College Basketball Betting Preview
Indiana Basketball
Thankfully, for Indiana fans, I don't have to discuss the Hoosiers' legitimacy — at least not yet. That question would have been answered had Indiana lost to Eastern Illinois. That looked like the case for 20 minutes, but the Hoosiers won by 35.
The Hoosiers' offense runs through their forwards. Sophomore "wing" Mackenzie Mgbako is enjoying a breakout sophomore year, posting 24.5 points per game on 74% shooting.
The great thing about Mgbako is his size and playmaking ability. Since he's 6-foot-7, he's a bigger wing that can shoot over smaller opponents, and he's a mismatch for slower forwards in small-ball lineups.
I still have questions about Indiana's offense, but there's no denying the Hoosiers' stout defense. Their 29th-ranked defense, per KenPom, aided in holding Eastern Illinois and SIUE to fewer than 62 points.
Yes, I know neither of those teams are very good, but holding opponents to 60 points or fewer is tough (unless it's Mississippi Valley State). The interior duo of Oumar Ballo and Malik Reneau is tough to score on, so the Hoosiers own the paint advantage.
The Indiana boosters reached into their pockets this summer to improve the guards' corps, with Myles Rice (Washington State) and Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford) coming over via the portal. The issue is that neither has lived up to the hype so far.
Carlyle is known for his scoring, but he's averaging three points on 18% shooting in two games. Conversely, Rice has struggled with turnovers, contributing to Indiana's inflated 19% turnover rate.
As the competition improves, Indiana needs better play from its transfer guards.
The million dollar question, as always: Can Indiana shoot?
I still have no clue. The Hoosiers attempt 3s on 28% of their field goals, which isn't very many, and shoot 35.3% from downtown. It's not awful, and Mgbako can shoot, but the guards need to start hitting outside shots. That would change the complexion of the offense because there's only one shooter right now.
South Carolina Basketball
After making the NCAA Tournament last year, South Carolina probably preferred beating North Florida on opening night.
But it wasn't to be, as the Ospreys played a spoiler.
Although the Gamecocks lost to UNF, they followed that defeat with 20+ point wins over South Carolina State and Towson. That's the perfect confidence booster heading into a tough road environment.
The good news for South Carolina is that it has a legitimate first-round NBA prospect. After a strong freshman season, Collin Murray-Boyles has developed into one of the best forwards in the country, averaging 21 points and 10.7 rebounds through three games.
The only thing holding "CMB"' from being a legitimate top-10 draft pick and someone who can lead South Carolina to the tourney is his lack of shooting. Murray-Boyles had zero 3s to his name during his time in Columbia.
The same applies to his frontcourt mate, Nick Pringle, who joins from Alabama. Pringle is as athletic and active of a defender as they come, but the offensive fit with CMB is questionable, as neither threatens defenses past the foul line.
Similarly, the Gamecocks' guards aren't shooting it much, either. While senior Jacobi Wright looks poised for a breakout year, he's a career 32% shooter. He's improved to a dazzling 46% in three games, but it's a small sample size.
The only scary shooter on South Carolina's roster is Myles Stute, who's shooting 30% from 3 in three games. He shot 38% from deep last year.
South Carolina effectively masquerades as the "great value" version of Indiana; it wants to win on the defensive end. Both play two non-shooting bigs and they aren't high-volume shooting teams, in general.
However, Indiana's talent greatly outweighs South Carolina's.
South Carolina vs Indiana Betting Analysis
Where is the advantage here for South Carolina? I don't see one, and I feel like this game has blowout potential written all over it.
The Gamecocks' best path to covering is slowing the game to a halt, as they rank 309th in tempo compared to Indiana's 123rd. They don't have a clear defensive option to slow Mgbako, and Indiana's stout interior defense will force the Gamecocks into difficult 2-point shots — or 3s, which isn't good for South Carolina.
Plus, Rice and Carlyle will get hot eventually. Those were two of the better guards in the Pac-12 last year. They didn't suddenly have their talent zapped.
I love the Hoosiers here.
