2023 March Madness 1st round bracket breakdown: Midwest Region
No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 13 Kent State
The Hoosiers enter the tournament as a top-five seed for the first time since 2016 and are led by All-American and John R. Wooden Player of the Year candidate Trayce Jackson-Davis and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jalen Hood-Schifino. Both players averaged a combined 34 points and will most likely be the heart and soul of Indiana’s offense in March. If the Hoosiers can find a nice balance with their two stars, they could potentially make a run to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2002.
The Golden Flashes are back in the NCAA Tournament after a six-year hiatus. They are led by two senior guards, Sincere Carry and Malique Jacobs, who handle most of the scoring load. The Golden Flashes also force almost 10 turnovers, and Indiana is turning the ball over nearly 12 times a game. If they can force Indiana to make more mistakes, this gritty No. 13 seed, who lost to Houston and Gonzaga by a combined 12 points, would have its first win in the NCAA Tournament since 2002.
