Winning a national championship in college basketball is no easy feat and it is a task that needs to be tackled one step at a time. It all begins by simply doing enough to get in the tournament, which can be accomplished in a manner of different ways. The easiest way to get in is to stay in the top 25, which is usually achieved by being strong in conference play and beating the better teams that arrive on the schedule over the course of the season.
Of course, there are some conferences that are more competitive and trickier to navigate than others, with the Big Ten very much among that group at the moment. There is no clear leader in the conference right now, which means that any number of teams could still rise up and win the regular season title this season. With this game, we are looking at a bit of an elimination game in that regards, as the loser of this one will slip to 4 conference losses. It is the Terrapins who are in as a 5 ½ point favorite on home court, with the point total for this one set at 145.
Iowa vs Maryland 2020 College Basketball Betting Lines & Analysis
- When: Thursday, January 30 at 8:30 PM EST
- Where: XFINITY Center, College Park
- TV: BTN
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: BTN+
- NCAAB Odds: Maryland -5.5 (Total 145)
Why bet on the Iowa Hawkeyes?
The Hawkeyes recently took a hit with back to back losses to Penn State and Nebraska, but they were able to shake those off and get back to winning ways. They are coming into this one on a 5-game winning streak that incidentally began with a lopsided 67-49 win over the Maryland Terrapins, which is why the Hawkeyes being an underdog here may seem just a little surprising.That said, the Hawkeyes are just 3-2 on the road this season, while also going 2-4 SU in their last 6 games versus the Terrapins. Iowa has gone 3-1-1 ATS during their 5-game winning run, so they look like a pretty solid bet against the spread here. Another thing to look at is the point total, with 8 of their last 12 games falling UNDER.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 79.55
- Field Goal Percentage: 45.34
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.15
- Free Throw Percentage: 73.90
- Total Rebounds: 39.10
Defense
- Total Score: 69.85
- Field Goal Percentage: 42.22
- Three-Point Percentage: 30.59
- Free Throw Percentage: 71.97
- Total Rebounds: 34.25
Why bet on the Maryland Terrapins?
The Maryland Terrapins are a respectable 16-4 on the season coming into this one, but they have had their issues against conference opponents this season. They find themselves down in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten after going 6-3 through their first 9 conference games. The good news is that the leaders of the conference, Michigan State, are 8-2, so they are by no means out of the conference title conversation.
Like Iowa, the Terrapins are in the midst of coming out of a bad run, losing back to back games before reeling off 3 straight wins ahead of this one. Where this team has been a fantastic bet is against the spread, going 6-1 ATS in their last 7. In the last 8 meetings between these two teams, the UNDER has hit 6 times.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 71.80
- Field Goal Percentage: 41.37
- Three-Point Percentage: 31.87
- Free Throw Percentage: 72.79
- Total Rebounds: 39.65
Defense
- Total Score: 61.75
- Field Goal Percentage: 38.79
- Three-Point Percentage: 32.08
- Free Throw Percentage: 68.70
- Total Rebounds: 33.60
Iowa vs Maryland 2020 College Basketball Betting Trends
- Hawkeyes are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games this season
- Hawkeyes are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games played on a Thursday
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Iowa’s last 6 games played in January
- Terrapins are 12-0 SU in their last 12 games at home
- Terrapins are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against an opponent in the Big Ten conference
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Maryland’s last 8 games against Iowa
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Iowa vs Maryland
Given how things have gone in previous meetings between these two, I would suggest that the UNDER looks like a very good bet. I like Iowa to cover the spread here, too, and I might even be tempted to play them SU.Score: Iowa Hawkeyes 68 – Maryland Terrapins 65
