Iowa had run off six wins in a row to start the 2020-21 season before running into the top-ranked team in the nation, facing Gonzaga on Saturday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Bulldogs down Iowa, 99-88, ahead of Iowa’s start in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes open their conference slate at home against the Purdue Boilermakers, winners of three in a row. Purdue comes in at 6-2 (1-0 Big Ten), having opened conference play with a 67-60 home win over then-#20 Ohio State. They followed that up with a ten-point win over Notre Dame on Saturday. Their losses have come against Clemson and Miami (FL). Are you planning to wager on Big Ten basketball?
Then don’t miss our college basketball betting preview of this Midwestern matchup.
NCAAB: Purdue at #3 Iowa (Tuesday, December 22)
When: Tuesday, December 22, 2020, 9:00 pm ET
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, IA
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: Purdue Boilermakers Sports Network / Hawkeye Radio Network
Live Stream: ESPN+
Why should you bet on the Boilermakers?
Purdue’s win over Notre Dame came as part of the Crossroads Classic Challenge, and Sasha Stefanovic got the Boilermakers off to a rousing start, nailing a three-pointer on Purdue’s first possession. He and Eric Hunter Jr led the Boilermakers with 18 points apiece. Stefanic went 6 of 8 from the floor, including 5 of 7 from behind the arc. Hunter went 4 of 7 from downtown and dished out eight assists. Trevion Williams added 14, and Mason Gillis chipped in a dozen. Purdue went 14 of 28 from behind the arc as a team — a percentage that Iowa will work to reduce.
Since 2015-16, Purdue is now 33-7 in the month of December. Some of that has to do with the fact that coaches have a lot more control over their non-conference schedules, choosing winnable games after tournament play in November, but Purdue also tends to get a strong start in Big Ten play. They have reversed their problems of recent years, when they had a slower backcourt but a dominant crew inside. They have quick guards who can shoot, and if you like Purdue here, you see them taking advantage of an Iowa team that might be down after losing to Gonzaga.
Why should you put your money on the Hawkeyes?
Iowa had hoped to take advantage of some rust in the Gonzaga program, as COVID-19 issues had canceled five games and had gone from December 2 to December 19 without a game. However, that was not the case, as Gonzaga’s high-octane offense dictated the pace. Luka Garza led the Hawkeyes with 30 points and 10 boards going 13 of 18 from the floor. He has led the Hawkeyes in scoring in six of their seven games this year. Joe Wieskamp put up 20 points and nine boards. However, Gonzaga posted a 24-10 run in the first half to pull away.
It didn’t help that Iowa went cold from the floor during that run, as they went almost five minutes without a basket during the first half. Iowa averaged almost a dozen three-balls per game in their first six games, but they only made 4 of 22 from downtown against the Bulldogs. The Iowa offense still leads the nation in efficiency, with 119.3 points per 100 possessions, and they trimmed the deficit to nine points with just two minutes to play, but they could not draw closer. If you like Iowa here, you see their three-point touch coming back.
Final Score and Prediction
Both of these teams are fun to watch thanks to their outside shooting, so I expect this to be a high-scoring affair on Tuesday night. Iowa has home advantage and has done a better job putting up points so far. I predict a final score of Iowa 88, Purdue 83.
College Basketball Betting Odds
Love betting NCAA basketball? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date college basketball lines
