Iowa Hawkeyes vs Utah Runnin’ Utes Matchup

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

Utah vs Iowa Prediction

Looking to win big? The Runnin' Utes and Hawkeyes face off at 6:00 ET on ESPN. The Hawkeyes are hosting the game at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 164 points, and Iowa is favored by -1 vs. Utah.

Utah vs. Iowa Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Utah Runnin' Utes at Iowa Hawkeyes
Where: Sioux Falls at Sanford Pentagon
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds IOWA -1, UTAH -105 | IOWA -115 O/U 164

Runnin' Utes Preview: Can the Runnin' Utes Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Utah Runnin' Utes Recent Game/Games

Utah improved to 8-2 on the season with an 89-59 win over Florida A&M on Tuesday. The Utes were heavy favorites at -32, but they didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 148, just under the O/U line of 151.5.

Utah led 50-31 at halftime and continued to control the game in the second half, outscoring the Rattlers 39-28.

Runnin' Utes Offense Breakdown

Utah's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 89 points and shooting 54.8% from the field. They were particularly effective inside, hitting 69.7% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 37.9% from beyond the arc, making 11 threes.

The Utes also dished out 25 assists, with Mason Madsen and Mike Sharavjamts each contributing 15 points. Sharavjamts was nearly perfect from the field, shooting 6/7 overall and 3/4 from three-point range.

Runnin' Utes Team Defense

Even with Utah's defense giving up 59 points, they struggled to contain the opposing offense, which shot 54% from the field. The Utes allowed 34 made field goals on 62 attempts.

Inside the arc, Utah's defense gave up 23 two-pointers on 33 attempts, a 69% shooting rate. From three-point range, the other team hit 11 of 29 shots, good for 37%.

Hawkeyes Preview: Can the Hawkeyes Live Up to the Hype at Home?

On Sunday, the Hawkeyes improved to 8-3 with a dominant 104-57 win over New Orleans. Playing at home, Iowa entered the game as -30.5 favorites and covered the spread with ease.

Leading 57-29 at halftime, Iowa added 47 points in the 2nd half while holding New Orleans to 28. The total points for the game came in just under the O/U line of 162.5, with a combined 161 points.

Hawkeyes Offense Breakdown

The Hawkeyes put up 104 points in their last game, shooting 62.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 73.1%, with 73.7% shooting on two-pointers and 48.3% from beyond the arc.

They recorded 28 assists, with Brock Harding contributing 6, and hit 14 threes. Owen Freeman shot 83.3% from the field, and Harding was perfect from deep, hitting all 3 of his attempts.

Hawkeyes Team Defense

Despite giving up 57 points, Iowa's defense struggled, allowing their opponent to shoot 62% from the field, including 73% on two-point attempts. The Hawkeyes couldn't contain the inside game, as their opponent went 28/38 from inside the arc.

From three-point range, Iowa's defense allowed 14 threes on 29 attempts, a 48% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 9 times, where they converted 6 free throws. Iowa gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Runnin' Utes vs Hawkeyes Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Utah has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-8 while averaging 71 points per game.
Across their last five home contests, Iowa has a 3-2 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 2-3, while averaging 83 points per game.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Utah has an ATS mark of 3-7 while going 1-9 straight up.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Hawkeyes have a straight up record of 9-1 and an ATS mark of 5-5.