#25 Rutgers vs #15 Iowa Road to March Madness | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

Both No. 25 Rutgers and No. 15 Iowa are going to make the NCAA Tournament, but both are looking to earn the best possible seed in the Big Ten Tournament the rest of the regular season as they meet Wednesday at Iowa – which will be solidly favored on the NCAAB odds.

How to Bet Rutgers at Iowa NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

• When: Wednesday, 7 PM ET
• Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Stream: BTN+
• Radio:com
• Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA (Iowa will be favored)

Last Meeting

The teams played in New Jersey on Jan. 2 and Iowa won 77-75 when it was ranked No. 10 and Rutgers No. 14. Hawkeyes star Luka Garza scored 15 of his 25 points in the second half and Iowa took advantage of Rutgers’ abysmal free-throw shooting. The Scarlet Knights were 4-for-12 from the line vs. Iowa, which was 18-for-23. “Four of 12 from the foul line, that’s just unacceptable. We’re not going to win a lot of basketball games like that,” Rutgers star Ron Harper Jr. said. Iowa’s Connor McCaffery headed to the locker room three minutes into the game with an ankle injury and returned only to inbound the ball in the final seconds of the game. Rutgers was without the injured Cliff Omoruyi.

Why Bet on Rutgers? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

Rutgers (11-6) has followed five straight losses with four straight wins. It last took the court on Feb. 4 and beat Minnesota 76-72. Geo Baker gave the Scarlet Knights the lead for good at 73-72 on a pull-up jumper with 1:01 left in the game. It was the ninth lead change in the final five minutes and the 22nd of the game.

Ron Harper Jr. made 3 of 4 free throws to secure the win for Rutgers, which entered the game ranked 345th out of 347 Division I teams in free throw shooting at 59.1% on the season. Rutgers won four straight conference games for the first time since 2003-04 when it was a member of the Big East.

Rutgers picked up their 7th league win of the season. The Scarlet Knights have now posted at least seven conference victories in 3 consecutive campaigns for the first time since 1989-91 when they did it as an Atlantic 10 member. Rutgers shot 53.1 percent from the field, its best this season in a Big Ten game.

Baker finished with a team-high 16 points, while Myles Johnson (14) and Caleb McConnell (14) joined in double figures. Johnson registered his fifth double-double of the season with a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with three blocks and two steals. Baker moved past Doug Patton and Jamal Phillips and into sole possession of 23rd place all-time at Rutgers in scoring.

Why Bet on Iowa?| 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

Iowa (13-6) is slumping as it dropped its fourth game in the past five Sunday, 67-65 at Indiana. Armaan Franklin sank a 15-foot, tiebreaking jumper with 1.8 seconds left to cap off a late rally for the Hoosiers. Franklin had scored just two points on 1-for-9 shooting until making the winner.

Following that make, a long inbounds pass intended for Iowa’s Luka Garza bounced off the backboard and toward midcourt. Jordan Bohannon retrieved the ball and tried a one-handed heave, and that also bounced off the backboard.  Iowa led 17-4 at one point. Garza was hurt Sunday by foul trouble that kept him on the bench for the final 12 minutes of the first half.

Joe Wieskamp and Garza led Iowa with 18 points apiece. Bohannon finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Keegan Murray scored 10 points. Iowa shot 37.3 percent from the floor and limited the Hoosiers to 35.9 percent shooting. The Hawkeyes made eight 3-pointers (compared to six for Indiana), but the Hoosiers were +8 on the glass, including 15 offensive rebounds.

Bohannon me made three triples to move into third place in all-time 3-pointers made in Big Ten history surpassing Shawn Respert (MSU) and Pete Lisicky (PSU). Garza is 16 points from 500 points this season and becoming the 11th Hawkeye with two 500-point seasons during their career. He is the only Hawkeye in school history to amass four 400-point seasons. Starting guard CJ Fredrick did not play (lower leg injury) and is iffy for this one.

Iowa is averaging 9.6 turnovers per game through 19 games played. The Hawkeyes are on pace to break the school record for turnovers per game for a single season, which is 10.3 established during the 2015-16 season. Iowa had appeared in the top 10 for 11 consecutive weeks, marking its longest streak since 1986-87, but that ended on Monday.

Expert College Basketball Prediction

Iowa 80, Rutgers 72

 

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