The Iowa Hawkeyes will travel to take on the Michigan State Spartans in a Thursday night Big Ten college basketball matchup at the Breslin Center. With that said, check out our college basketball odds series which has our Iowa-Michigan State prediction and pick.
Iowa has been up and down this season, going 12-7, including an even 4-4 record in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes lost to Ohio State in a blowout last time out. A 2-3 road record presents a shaky matchup for head coach Fran McCaffery's squad, who face a tall test.
Michigan State has also been up and down, with a 13-7 record, going 5-4 in conference play. Last time out, the Spartans were upended by Indiana on the road. Head coach Tom Izzo and company will welcome the Breslin Center, as the team has gone 8-2 at their home arena.
Here are the Iowa-Michigan State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Iowa-Michigan State Odds
Iowa Hawkeyes: +2.5 (-118)
Michigan State Spartans: -2.5 (-104)
Over: 145.5 (-115)
Under: 145.5 (-105)
How To Watch Iowa vs. Michigan State
TV: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports Go
Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Iowa Could Cover The Spread
Iowa's offense is solid, with Kris Murray leading the team with 21.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, draining his shots more than half of the time. Filip Rebraca ranks second with 13.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field. From behind the arc, Rebraca has shot nearly 40 percent. Five different Hawkeyes have averaged double-digit points per game, with all of them shooting at least 40 percent from the field. As a team, Iowa has shot nearly 46 percent from the field. On defense, the Hawkeyes have averaged 6.5 steals as a team.
On offense, the Hawkeyes have averaged an impressive 81.7 points per game, outrebounding their opponents 38.3 to 35.8. On KenPom, the Hawkeyes deserve a ton of love for their offense, ranking sixth in adjusted offensive efficiency. Defense has been the issue for the Hawkeyes, ranking 147th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Why Michigan State Could Cover The Spread
The Spartans have struggled uncharacteristically this season, playing up and down. The offense is led by Tyson Walker, who is averaging 14.3 points per game to lead the team, shooting 44.8 percent from the field. Joey Hauser ranks second with 13.8 points, leading the team with 7.7 rebounds per game. Hauser also leads the team with an 86.3 free throw percentage. A.J. Hoggard is the third and final Spartan in double digits, averaging 12.7 points per game, dishing out a team-leading 6.1 assists per game. Jaden Adkins has been solid on defense, leading the team with 1.3 steals per game.
Michigan State has been boring on offense, averaging 69.7 points per game. The slow tempo would be to blame for the low-scoring output, but the offense has been extremely efficient. KenPom pegs the Spartans as the 52nd-best offense in the nation. The Spartan defense has stifled opponents, holding them to 65.9 points per game. Facing a high-scoring Iowa team, the Spartans are in for a test.
Final Iowa-Michigan State Prediction & Pick
This one will not be overly high scoring, and both teams are looking to avoid a losing streak. Michigan State gets the edge in this one, thanks to their strong home record. Their slow tempo and strong defense will probably keep this one under.
Final Iowa-Michigan State Prediction & Pick: Michigan State -2.5 (-104), under 145.5 (-105)
Follow Us
Subscribe