Kansas State vs. Montana State: 2023 NCAA Tournament Odds, Preview & Predictions

Mar 12, 2023 - 11:53 PM

March Madness is officially here! The 2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket has been announced, and the teams are lining up for the Big Dance. Let’s take a look at the early odds, preview, and predictions for the 2023 NCAA Tournament Round 1 game: Kansas State vs. Montana State.

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2023 March Madness Odds, Preview & Predictions: Kansas State vs. Montana State

Kansas State vs. Montana State Odds, Spread & Match Up Overview

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Kansas State 2023 NCAA Tournament Betting Preview

Kansas State did not receive a single preseason AP vote, but Jerome Tang has led this team to an awesome season, and the Wildcats have their eyes on Houston. After starting 15-1, Kansas State hit a speed bump in Big 12 play. Still, K-State had regular season victories over Texas, Baylor and Kansas with two of those wins coming on the road. They are capable of scoring 100+ points (see Texas) and limiting opponents to 50 (see Florida). This is a feel-good team that I imagine a lot of people will embrace in March.

Kansas State’s main strength is defense. Its perimeter defense is one of the best in the nation, and the Wildcats rarely allow open looks. Their physical defense leads to fouls at times, but they also force turnovers at a high rate. Offensively, Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson are great at getting to the rim and getting to the free throw line. Nowell is an awesome facilitator, with the third-best assist rate in the nation, and Johnson — not only an awesome story but an awesome player — can score from anywhere on the court. I believe in those two players’ ability to take this team anywhere.

But Kansas State is not without flaws. Desi Sills missed the regular-season finale against West Virginia, so be sure to monitor any injury news on that front. He’s an important piece because the Wildcats do not have much depth, ranking outside the top 300 in bench minutes. Will Kansas State’s physicality, facing a team that gets to the hoop and draws fouls (like Texas A&M) lead to problems? Kansas State’s offense is good, but it isn’t great and can have some down games. To make a run, the Wildcats have to take better care of the ball, and Nowell and Johnson have to step up to lead this team through March Madness.

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Montana State 2023 NCAA Tournament Betting Preview

The metrics weren’t exactly high on the Bobcats this year due to a high number of close wins, but Montana State seemed like the best team in the Big Sky Conference, finishing the regular season with a road victory over Eastern Washington and then taking down the Big Sky Conference tournament.

This team is led by RaeQuan Battle, an effective guard who has Division I experience after transferring from Washington. A defensive-based team, Montana State is solid on the interior, with Jubrile Belo being one of the better rim defenders out there. The Bobcats will get to the rim and rank in the top 10 at free throw rate. While they don’t exactly shoot well from beyond the arc, point guard Darius Brown has the ability to get hot, shooting at a 40 percent clip from deep this season.

Facing a team that is solid on the interior and avoids foul trouble will spell trouble for Danny Sprinkle and Co. But any physical team Montana State faces could fall into their trap, and the Bobcats could keep things close with their top-100 defense.