Luka Garza and the fourth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes will look to bounce back from their humbling loss the last time out when they host a Northwestern Wildcats team that has been the biggest surprise team in the Big Ten so far this season. Will the Hawkeyes avoid the upset to cash in as the sportsbook betting favorite or are the red-hot Wildcats the better college basketball betting pick in this highly intriguing affair? Let’s find out where the best value lies in this Northwestern Vs Iowa affair so you can place your bets against their College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Predictions – Northwestern at No. 4 Iowa
Northwestern Wildcats (6-1) Vs Iowa Hawkeyes (7-2)
- When: Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020 at 9:00 PM ET
- Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
- NCAAB Odds: TBD
Why Bet On Northwestern
Northwestern didn’t look like anything special through three games after smacking around Arkansas Pine Bluff and Chicago State and falling to Pittsburgh 71-70 in their third game of the season. However, since then, the Wildcats have looked nothing short of phenomenal in recording a trio of Big Ten upsets coming into this affair.
Northwestern routed Michigan State 79-65 on Dec. 20 to cash in as a 7.5-point home dog. The Wildcats proved their win over 12th-ranked Spartans was no fluke by taking out Indiana 74-67 on Wednesday to cash in as a 9-point road dog. Northwestern then got past No. 23 Ohio State 71-70 on Saturday to cash in as a 2.5-point home dog. Junior forward Miller Kopp scored a team-high 23 points while sophomore guard Boo Buie added 14 points.
The Wildcats are 3-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1967-68. Northwestern’s win over Ohio State was their first win over a nationally ranked Buckeyes team since February of 1989. Buie is blossoming and averages a team-high 14.4 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting from the field and a stupendous 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. Buie has added 37 assists and just 12 turnovers in seven games this season.
Northwestern averages 85.3 points per game (30th) on 48.6 percent shooting from the field (54th) and 42.2 percent from three-point distance (10th). The Wildcats are limiting the opposition to just 62.3 points per game (48th) on 37.8 percent shooting from the field (30th) and 27.5 percent from downtown (43rd).
Why Bet On No. 4 Iowa
Iowa lost for the second time in their last three games by getting upset by Minnesota 102-95 on Christmas Day. Superstar forward Luka Garza scored a team-high 32 points, but shot a tepid 11 of 27 from the field while CJ Frederick added 23 points in the loss. The Hawkeyes allowed Minnesota’s Marcus Carr to go off for 30 points while Jamal Mashburn Jr. added 26 points. Iowa also suffered a 99-88 road loss against top-ranked Gonzaga o Dec. 19.
The Hawkeyes average a stupendous 95.1 points per game to rank third nationally in scoring while shooting 48.0 percent from the field (70th) and 36.6 percent from beyond the arc (82nd). Iowa allows 74.1 points per game defensively on 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc. Iowa has allowed 201 points over its two losses and has given up at least one point per possession in four of their past six games.
Expert Analysis and Prediction
Iowa has an elite offense, but the Hawkeyes are giving up points like they’re going out of style. The Hawkeyes are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games and 5-0 ATS in their last five home games, but Northwestern is 5-1 ATS in its last six games and 4-1 ATS in their last five games against their Big Ten opponents. The Wildcats have the far better defense in this matchup and a chip on their collective shoulders.
Iowa will be locked-in after losing the last time out, but I’m just not very impressed with the Hawkeyes outside of Luka Garza. Northwestern will be a slight road dog in this affair, but I like the Wildcats to cover the spread – by winning outright!
Pick: Northwestern 81 Iowa 77
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