Wisconsin at Iowa odds, picks and predictions
Skip Snow
USA TODAY Sports
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The Wisconsin Badgers (18-5, 8-4 Big Ten) and Iowa Hawkeyes (13-9, 4-7) clash in a Saturday matinee in Iowa City. The opening tip at Carver-Hawkeye Arena will be at 1 p.m. ET (NBC). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's college basketball odds around the Wisconsin vs. Iowaodds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Wisconsin -- No. 19 in the USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll -- drubbed the Hawkeyes when the rivals met in Madison Jan. 3. UW easily covered as a 6.5-point favorite in a 116-85 triumph. The Badgers have gone 7-2 against the spread (ATS) since. That includes a 76-64 home win over 9.5-point underdog Indiana on Tuesday. Efficient-on-offense UW splashed on a dozen 3-pointers in that win, and the squad has connected on 42.6% of its triples in its last 5 games.
Iowa's Jan. 3 setback at Wisconsin is part of a stretch that has seen the Hawkeyes go 2-7 ATS. UI is 0-6 ATS since Jan. 14; across those 6 games, the Big Ten's worst defense (79.0 points per game) has yielded 85.4 PPG on a 53% mark from the field.
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Wisconsin at Iowa odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:10 a.m. ET.
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Moneyline: Wisconsin -250 (bet $250 to win $100) | Iowa +200 (bet $100 to win $200)
Wisconsin -250 (bet $250 to win $100) | Iowa +200 (bet $100 to win $200) Against the spread: Wisconsin -5.5 (-115) | Iowa +5.5 (-105)
Wisconsin -5.5 (-115) | Iowa +5.5 (-105) Over/Under (O/U): 161.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
Wisconsin at Iowa picks and predictions
Prediction
Wisconsin 82, Iowa 79
No interest. PASS.
Iowa has been torched in the paint, but its defensive numbers don't match some support analytics, and the Hawkeyes are a regression candidate we're catching at the right time. Recent games aside, UI is also usually quite good at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and is coming off playing quite well in the Tuesday setback against Purdue.
Recent road games, even in ones that finished with straight-up and/or ATS wins, have been more of a down note for UW than what meets the eye. Figure a middle-pace Badger squad being ripe for a 3-driven backdoor falter at minimum.
BET IOWA +5.5 (-105).
The Under has gone 3-1 across the last 4 games for each side.
Wisconsin excels in forcing tough shots, and the Iowa defense figures as underrated in general. Look for the Hawkeyes to be responsible on defense after allowing the c-note at Madison on Jan. 3. And perhaps the noon local start makes for a sleepy start.
BACK THE UNDER 161.5 (-105).
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