Iowa Hawkeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Minnesota vs Iowa NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Iowa City.

Minnesota vs Iowa Prediction

The Golden Gophers and Hawkeyes are set to face off at 9:00 ET on BTN. The Hawkeyes will host the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, IA. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 150.5 points, and Iowa is favored by -9.5 to win at home against Minnesota.

Minnesota vs. Iowa Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Minnesota Golden Gophers at Iowa Hawkeyes
Where: Iowa City at Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Date: Tuesday, January 21st
Betting Odds IOWA -9.5, MINNST +317 | IOWA -413 O/U 150.5

Golden Gophers Preview: Does Minnesota Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

Minnesota improved to 9-9 on the season with an 84-81 win over Michigan on Thursday. The Golden Gophers were +10.5 point underdogs heading into the game but pulled off the upset at home.

After trailing 40-31 at halftime, Minnesota turned things around in the second half, outscoring Michigan 40-31. The game’s total points of 165 went over the pre-game line of 144.5.

Golden Gophers Offense Breakdown

The Golden Gophers put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 45.2% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc, hitting 9 threes. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.1%, with a strong 54.5% shooting inside the arc. They also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 21 assists.

Dawson Garcia led the way with 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Danny Wolf contributed 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 8 of 10 from the field and a perfect 3 of 3 from deep. Lu'Cye Patterson added 22 points, hitting 3 of 5 from three-point range.

Golden Gophers Team Defense

Even though Minnesota allowed 81 points, they managed to hold their opponent to 31% shooting from beyond the arc, with 9 threes made on 29 attempts. However, their defense struggled inside, giving up 54% shooting on two-pointers, as the other team connected on 24 of 44 shots.

The Golden Gophers sent their opponent to the line 13 times, where they converted 9 free throws, shooting 69%. Minnesota also gave up 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Hawkeyes Preview: Will the Hawkeyes Make it Happen at Home?

Iowa Hawkeyes Recent Game/Games

Iowa dropped to 12-6 on the season after a 94-70 loss to UCLA on Friday. The Hawkeyes entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 164, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 151.5.

Iowa found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 57-24 at halftime. They showed some fight in the second half, outscoring UCLA 46-37, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

Hawkeyes Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Iowa's offense put up 70 points, shooting 44.7% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 55.3%, and they connected on 76% of their free throws, going 19-for-25 from the line. The Hawkeyes also grabbed 9 offensive rebounds and dished out 14 assists.

Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 23 points and 4 assists, shooting 66.7% from the field. Josh Dix hit 5-of-7 threes, finishing with 19 points, while Tyler Bilodeau shot 80% from the floor, contributing 18 points. William Kyle III was nearly perfect, hitting 6-of-7 shots, and Owen Freeman made all 3 of his attempts.

Hawkeyes Team Defense

Despite Iowa's defensive struggles, they allowed 94 points while the opposing team shot 62% from the field. Iowa had difficulty defending inside, giving up 80% shooting on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, the opposition hit 8 threes on 23 attempts, shooting 34%. Iowa also sent them to the line 20 times, where they made 14 free throws.

Golden Gophers vs Hawkeyes Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Although Minnesota has a straight up record of 0-3 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 65 points per game in these games.
Although Iowa has a straight up record of 0-5 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-4. The team averaged 81 points per game in these games.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Golden Gophers have a straight up record of 1-9 and an ATS mark of 3-6-1.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Hawkeyes have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 5-0 in these scenarios.