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It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with an Iona-Rice prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Iona-Rice.
Sunday's college basketball entertainment is comprised of a lot of lower-tier matchups in the sport. There are over 350 Division I teams, so on an NFL Sunday in December, it figures that most of the games involve comparatively obscure teams. There is plenty of basketball to enjoy on Sunday, but the day's schedule features teams that are trying to play their way out of the shadows. Rice and Iona are two of them in the Baha Mar tournament in The Bahamas.
This is the final day of a three-day event. Iona beat Tarleton State and then lost to Indiana State. Rice lost to Hofstra and then defeated Arkansas State. You can see that none of those teams are really big hitters in men's college basketball, but for what it's worth, the Tarleton State team Iona defeated is one of the worst in Division I so far this season. Hofstra has produced some very good teams in recent years, but seems to be in a down cycle this season. Rice losing to Hofstra was a tough result for the Owls and a game which legitimately got away from them, given how many free throws they missed in the second half to hurt their chances of winning.
It is also notable that Rice's loss to Hofstra was an overtime loss. With teams playing every day — no days off — at this tournament, leg fatigue could be a factor midway through the game and on into the second-half home stretch.
Both teams have interesting coaching stories. Iona is guided by Tobin Anderson, who authored Fairleigh Dickinson's upset of Purdue two seasons ago, the second 16-over-1 March Madness upset in the history of the men's NCAA Tournament. Anderson replaces Rick Pitino, who left Iona to grab the open head coaching spot at St. John's. Iona has been a cradle and cultivator for great college basketball coaches through the decades. Jim Valvano coached at Iona before he went to North Carolina State and led the Wolfpack to the 1983 national championship. Pat Kennedy became an Elite Eight head coach at Florida State after a run at Iona. Tim Welsh went to Providence after a successful stint at Iona. Kevin Willard went to Seton Hall and then Maryland after a brief Iona tenure. Iona, like Utah State and other similar programs, has become a job where young and talented coaches know they will be able to rise up the ladder if they do things the right way. Anderson is trying to be the latest such coaching success story.
Rice is led by Rob Lanier, who was let go by SMU after just two seasons. Lanier was not treated well or fairly, but this business can be rough. Lanier has a ton to prove at Rice, and it will be fascinating to see if he can lift the Owls out of relative obscurity.
Here are the Iona-Rice College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Iona-Rice Odds
Iona: +5.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -178
Rice: -5.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +146
Over: 150.5 (-105)
Under: 150.5 (-115)
How to Watch Iona vs Rice
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
TV: FloSports / local cable
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Iona Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Gaels aren't an especially good team, but neither is Rice. Rice played an overtime game on Friday, then a game on Saturday. The Owls could be tired, and Iona — getting almost six points — could take advantage.
Why Rice Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Rice loss to Hofstra came about because the Owls did not hit a high percentage of free throws in that game. If this team can make some simple fixes such as better foul shooting, it should be able to cover versus an inferior Iona side.
Final Iona-Rice Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Iona, but neither team has fully earned our trust. Pass.
Final Iona-Rice Prediction & Pick: Iona +5.5
