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Best College Basketball Prop Bets to Target for Tuesday's NIT Semifinal Action

The player prop bets you need to know about in Tuesday's NIT semifinal games.

By Benjamin Upson

Indiana State Sycamores guard Isaiah Swope (2) goes in to pass the ball against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Indiana State Sycamores guard Isaiah Swope (2) goes in to pass the ball against the Cincinnati Bearcats. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY
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The NIT tournament semifinals are live from Indianapolis today as four teams have made it to the end of the road in the secondary level of competition to the NCAA Tournament. This is the perfect appetizer for the NCAA Final Four this weekend.

The four teams that remain each have their own intriguing storyline, but only two will advance to the championship game. Two of these teams also fell just shy of making the NCAA Tournament and are looking to make a statement. Here’s what prop bets you should be eyeing in Tuesday’s semifinals.

If you want to bet on tonight's action, click the link below to sign up for an account at DraftKings Sportsbook. If you do, you'll receive $150 in bonus bets when you place your first $5 wager.

Best Prop Bets for NIT Semifinals on Tuesday

  • Isaiah Swope OVER 13.5 Points
  • Deivon Smith OVER 6.5 Assists
  • Al-Amir Dawes OVER 14.5 Points

Isaiah Swope OVER 13.5 Points

One of the most underrated players in the Sycamores' offense is Isaiah Swope. Overlooked by some defenses, he brings a lot of talent to the table to help put Indiana State on his back and carry them to victory.

One thing that the Sycamores possess in this matchup is scoring depth. At least four of their starting five have scored in double digits in every game of the NIT thus far. This gives them an edge here as the 6th ranked team in points per game (84.5). Swope has the ability to score quickly and finds open space when rotating off ball screens. He has not had major success in the NIT, averaging only 8 points per game but he is due for a big night to help carry Indiana State to the NIT Championship.

With the Utes likely keyed in on other players for the Sycamores, I believe that Swope will get some more ball control in this game and have the ability to take a higher volume of shots. When Indiana State gets going on offense, they can really rack up points in bunches. I’ll side with his over in arguably the biggest game for the program since the 1979 NCAA Tournament.

Deivon Smith OVER 6.5 Assists

There’s nothing better than elite ball distribution in basketball. It makes a team more complete and complements a high-caliber offense. This is the role that Deivon Smith has stepped into for the Utah Utes.

Smith is going off in the NIT, recording a pair of triple-doubles in the past two games for the Utes. 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against Iowa in the second round followed by 15, 11, and 12 against VCU in the quarterfinals. Utah as a team ranks 8th in the nation in assists averaging 17.6 per game so they can get you with quick ball movement. Their opponent, Indiana State is just behind them in 10th.

This is an exciting matchup between two teams hungry to chase some postseason hardware. I’m not going to shy away from backing Smith’s over in the assist column after he’s exploded for double digits in five of Utah’s previous nine contests. Tournament play can completely transform players. Confidently back the over in another opportunistic game for Smith to keep dishing to his teammates.

Al-Amir Dawes OVER 14.5 Points

Seton Hall continues their run in the NIT Tournament after being a close call to make the NCAA Tournament. There has been an explosion of scoring out of Al-Amir Dawes, which has carried the Pirates into the semifinals.

Dawes has been a season-long contributor for the Pirates but has completely taken his game to a new level in the NIT. He opened with a 26-point double-double against St. Joe’s, 14 against North Texas in the second round, and most recently 21 versus UNLV. Additionally, Dawes is taking some of the highest shot volumes of the entire year attempting over 15 field goals per game, something he had only done twice since January 24th.

Dawes has been the core of the offensive attack and I don’t believe he’s ready to give it up just yet against a Georgia team that ranks 162nd in defensive efficiency, making me more comfortable in siding with the over. It still makes me wonder what could have happened if Seton Hall was playing in the NCAA Tournament. Either way, an NIT title is still on the table for the highly skilled Pirates.

NOTE: Odds are always subject to change.

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