The Iowa Hawkeyes (15-8) visit the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers (22-2) on Thursday night! Action tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with an Iowa-Purdue prediction pick, and how to watch.
Iowa has won three straight games to improve to 7-5 and tied for fifth place in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes covered 61% of their games while 61% went over the projected point total. Purdue is coming off a loss to Indiana but remains at 11-2 and in first place in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers covered 46% of their games while 58% went under. Purdue has won two of the last three meetings between the two schools, although Iowa did knock the Boilermakers out of the Big Ten tournament last year.
Here are the Iowa-Purdue college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Iowa-Purdue Odds
Iowa: +7.5 (-102)
Purdue: -7.5 (-120)
Over: 149.5 (-110)
Under: 149.5 (-110)
How To Watch Iowa vs. Purdue
TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Iowa Could Cover The Spread
Iowa had a solid non-conference slate which saw them take down Clemson, Seton Hall, and No. 11 Iowa State. Although they dropped games to TCU, Duke, and Eastern Illinois, they entered conference play at 8-3. Despite starting 0-3 in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes have since rebounded and are riding a three-game win streak into West Lafayette tonight. Iowa fares well within the advanced ratings, ranking No. 32 in KenPom and No. 34 in NET. They hold a strong 10-7 record against Quad 1 and 2 opponents, although a brutal Quad 4 loss does hurt their resume. Nevertheless, Iowa currently projects as a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Iowa features one of the most electric offenses in the country. The Hawkeyes average 81.5 PPG – 11th nationally. As a result, Iowa racks up assists, averaging the 17th-most assists per game with 16.3 APG. Additionally, the Hawkeyes do a great job taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers as they hold the eighth-lowest turnover rate in the country. Although their defense is nothing to write home about, at the very least they do a good job defending without fouling as they commit a foul at the eighth-lowest rate across Division-1.
As a result of their high-flying offense, Iowa features five players who average double-digit points. That being said, forward Kris Murray is the clear leader on offense. The 6'8″ junior ranks second in the Big Ten, scoring 20.5 PPG. Additionally, Murray leads his team with 8.5 RPG while serving as a lights-out shooter with an average of 2.3 threes per game.
Coming off a 32-point outing against Illinois, junior guard Tony Perkins could be a major X-factor tonight. The 6'4″ junior averages 11.6 PPG for the season and has shown a knack for showing up in big spots. Perkins is a relentless finisher who doesn't provide much of a threat from deep, but can finish with grace and power around the rim.
Why Purdue Could Cover The Spread
Purdue ran through their non-conference slate with a perfect 11-0 record. That included resume-boosting wins over No. 16 Gonzaga, No. 10 Marquette, and Duke. They've carried that success into conference play with their only losses coming at the hands of No. 24 Rutgers and No. 18 Indiana. Consequently, the advanced ratings view the top-ranked Boilermakers as one of the best teams in the country. Purdue ranks No. 5 in KenPom and No. 4 in NET. The Boilermakers have few knocks on their resume, as their nine Quad 1 wins rank second only to Kansas' 11. As a result, Purdue currently projects as the No. overall 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Purdue features an incredibly stout defense. The Boilermakers allow just 61.1 PPG – the tenth-lowest mark in the country. They do an incredible job defending at a high rate without fouling as they hold opponents to the nation's lowest free throw attempts per game. Purdue is also an elite rebounding team who leads all of Division-1 in rebound rate by a significant margin. They are especially dangerous on the offensive glass where they average 11.2 offensive rebounds per game.
The Boilermakers are led by National Player of the Year frontrunner Zach Edey. College Basketball's Yao Ming is a 7'4″ Canadian center who leads the Big 10 in both scoring and rebounding. Averaging 22.4 PPG and 13.2 RPG, Edey is the clear frontrunner for Player of the Year as he holds -1000 odds to win the award. The mammoth center is incredibly skilled and light on his feet and does a great job defending without fouling as he averages 2.2 blocks per game compared to just 1.7 fouls per game. Coming off a 33-point, 18-rebound performance against Indiana, expect Edey to dominate yet again against a vulnerable Iowa frontline.
Final Iowa-Purdue Prediction & Pick
After their disappointing loss to arch-rival Indiana, I expect Purdue to stifle the Iowa offense and get back on track tonight.
Final Iowa-Purdue Prediction & Pick: Purdue -7.5 (-120) & Under 149.5 (-110)
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