We’re looking at two college hoops games tonight!
We’re quickly approaching conference play in college hoops and teams are prepping for the long grind of their conference schedule. Tonight we’re looking at a historic rivalry and a matchup between two mid-majors who can both shoot it from deep. Let’s take a look at tonight’s odds, predictions, and best bets!
Iowa (5-3) @ Iowa State -7.5 (6-2) | ESPNU | 7:30 pm | Hilton Coliseum – Aimes, Iowa
Today.
🔗: https://t.co/KcueMc61fY#Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/kgAfibwWnP
— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) December 7, 2023
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Injury Report:
Hawkeyes: No injuries.
Cyclones: F Hason Ward is out (foot).
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Iowa Last 5 ATS & Total:
| Date | VS | Score | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4 | @ PURDUE | L 68-87 | L 13.5 | U 159.5 |
| Nov 29 | NORTH FLORIDA | W 103-78 | L -26.5 | O 167.5 |
| Nov 24 | SETON HALL (N) | W 85-72 | W -1.5 | O 153.5 |
| Nov 23 | OKLAHOMA (N) | L 67-79 | L 1.5 | U 158 |
| Nov 17 | ARKANSAS STATE | W 88-74 | L -20.5 | U 173.5 |
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Iowa State Last 5 ATS & Total:
| Date | VS | Score | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | @ DEPAUL | W 99-80 | W -14.5 | O 136.5 |
| Nov 26 | TEXAS A&M (N) | L 69-73 | L -3.5 | O 135.5 |
| Nov 24 | VIRGINIA TECH (N) | L 62-71 | L -4.5 | U 140.5 |
| Nov 23 | @ VCU (N) | W 68-64 | L -12 | O 130.5 |
| Nov 19 | GRAMBLING | W 92-37 | W -27 | U 133.5 |
The Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones clash on Thursday at James H. Hilton Coliseum, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Iowa (5-3 SU, 3-5 ATS, 5-3 O/U) is coming off an 86-78 loss to #4 Purdue on December 4th. Iowa State (6-2 SU, 5-3 ATS, 5-3 O/U) secured a 99-80 victory against DePaul in their last contest on December 1st.
Dating back to 1909, the Cy-Hawk rivalry will add another chapter tonight. The Hawkeyes triumphed 76-58 over the Cyclones in Iowa City last season, maintaining a historical lead in the series at 48-28. Tonight, the Cyclones will come in as the favorites as they are giving -7.5 to the Hawkeyes. Both of these teams have their eyes set on the NCAA Tournament, and tonight would be a great early-season win for either of them.
Iowa’s three losses are all to very good squads. They’ve lost to Creighton, Oklahoma, and Purdue, with Creighton and Purdue being ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Their standout victory came against Seton Hall, currently ranking 66th in KenPom’s standings. They’re led by senior forward Ben Krikke, a Valparaiso transfer, who averages an impressive 18.4 points per game on 60.4 percent shooting and has been a massive addition to this squad. They also rely on junior forward Payton Sandfort (13.6 PPG and 7.9 RPG), senior guard Tony Perkins (12.8 PPG and 5.3 RPG), and senior forward Patrick McCaffery (11.5 PPG and 4.1 RPG). KenPom places Iowa at 38th nationally, showcasing their offensive prowess (13th in efficiency) but highlighting defensive challenges (137th in efficiency). The team maintains a brisk pace, ranking 30th in tempo (schedule-adjusted)
Iowa State is led by sophomore guard Tamin Lipsey, who showcased his versatility with a triple-double against DePaul, contributing 15.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. Other key players include junior guard Keshon Gilbert (14.8 PPG and 4.3 RPG) and freshman forward Milan Momcilovic (13.6 PPG, shooting an impressive 44.7% from beyond the arc). The Cyclones boast an offensive output of 82.9 points per game (39th). But on the defensive side of the ball is where they really make teams work. Defensively, they limit opponents to 58.9 points per game (7th) on 37.5% shooting (19th). In KenPom’s rankings, Iowa State holds the 24th spot nationally, emphasizing its strong defensive prowess (10th in efficiency).
Iowa State is going to make Iowa work for everything they get tonight. And if they can take Ben Krikke away from Iowa, I’m not sure the secondary options will have the answers offensively. Hilton magic will be hopping tonight, no doubt. Gimme the Cycones.
Portland +2.5 (5-4) @ North Dakota State (5-4) | 8:00 pm | Scheels Center – Fargo, ND
🌴🌊🥥🌺🍍🦜🏝️
🆚: Portland
⏰: 7:00 PM
📍: Fargo, ND
🏟️: Scheels Center
📻: 107.9 The Fox & Bison 1660
📺: WDAY Xtra
🎟️: https://t.co/GRDSRpZIKi | https://t.co/XZAEN1rD3j
💻: https://t.co/Z64iFWmEFF
🎧: https://t.co/Kh5ePyvJ1B
📈: https://t.co/FXlMQFXAj8 pic.twitter.com/QeNXTghCoT— NDSU Men’s Basketball (@NDSUmbb) December 7, 2023
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Injury Report:
Portland: F Thomas Oosterbroek (Ankle) Game Time Decision
NDSU: No injuries
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Portland Last 5 ATS & Total:
| Date | VS | Score | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 3 | AIR FORCE | L 58-80 | L -4.5 | O 135.5 |
| Dec 1 | WYOMING | W 81-70 | W -2.5 | U 152.5 |
| Nov 28 | @ PORTLAND STATE | L 74-75 | W 2.5 | U 154.5 |
| Nov 25 | WILLAMETTE | W 107-84 | – | – |
| Nov 18 | @ NEVADA | L 83-108 | L 13.5 | O 147.5 |
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NDSU Last 5 ATS & Total:
| Date | VS | Score | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 4 | SAN JOSE STATE | W 83-78 (OT) | W -2.5 | O 137.5 |
| Nov 27 | @ SAN JOSE STATE | L 65-78 | L 7.5 | O 133.5 |
| Nov 25 | @ GRAND CANYON | L 71-86 | L 13.5 | O 141.5 |
| Nov 20 | WISCONSIN STOUT | W 101-72 | – | – |
| Nov 16 | @ MONTANA | W 78-69 | W 8 | O 136 |
On Tuesday night in a matchup between Portland and North Dakota State, you’ll see two teams that can really score it and struggle defensively, particularly in defending against perimeter shots. North Dakota State, is 3-0 at home and showed just how much better they are at home than on the road. In an unusual back-to-back, they just hosted San Jose State and played at San Jose State. On the road, they lost to San Jose State by 13, and at home, they battled for a 5-point overtime victory. NDSU can definitely shoot it from deep as they shoot 38% from 3-point territory, ranking 44th nationally. On the defensive end, Portland allows an alarming 38.1% shooting from beyond the arc, ranking 340th nationally. This spells trouble for Portland, on the road.
NDSU is led by sharpshooter Jacan White who boasts a 43.2% shooting percentage from deep. With many other statistics closely aligned between the teams, the game’s outcome is likely to hinge on superior long-range shooting, where North Dakota State holds an advantage. Add that with how much they like playing at home, and I like NDSU in this one.
