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It’s rivalry time in the state of Iowa as the Hawkeyes host the Cyclones at Carver-Hawkeye arena in a game that looks like a possible mismatch. Iowa State is one of the best teams in the country, while Iowa is the typical Hawkeyes team. That means they will score a lot of points, but the defense has issues.
On Thursday, one of college basketball’s lesser-known rivalries will resurface when Iowa and Iowa State square off in Iowa City.
Recurring in this rivalry are games where one team wins by 14 or more points; blowouts have become common, which makes sense given their respective styles.
Iowa State’s defense continues to excel this year. They currently rank 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency rankings; should this remain constant throughout the year, this would mark Iowa State’s fourth straight top-10 defense performance.
Iowa State’s play has changed greatly this season; after being outside the top 200 for pace over its previous three campaigns, Iowa State now ranks 89th – which should serve them well against an Iowa team that thrives off running plays.
Iowa has long been known for playing fast with high-powered offenses. Unfortunately, its current version is struggling with this goal and hitting some roadblocks along the way.
The offense just hasn’t been as stellar this season compared to past teams. This makes sense considering there is no All-American like Keegan Murray or Luka Garza; Payton Sandfort has taken over the star role, though only 31% of his 3-point attempts have been converted this season.
Iowa ranks 33rd nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Iowa State’s only loss on their resume came against Auburn, one of the top teams in college hoops. Still, Iowa State led that game by 18 points at halftime and demonstrated their talent amongst top college squads.
Iowa’s journey leading into this game has not been smooth. They have struggled against top-50 opponents, winning just once (by one point against Northwestern at home).
Given the history of this series, one would anticipate the better team to pull away. Iowa State may well be their strongest team yet while this Iowa squad has several holes that didn’t exist previously.
Expect the Cyclones to neutralize Hawkeyes star player, and win comfortably by double digits.
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I lean towards the under in this game, as the Iowa offense will struggle against Iowa State’s defense.
Bet Iowa State -6.5
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