Nebraska vs Iowa Betting Preview
Thursday night’s Nebraska vs Iowa clash features two teams in need of their first conference win this season. Sportsmemo college basketball handicapper JM Sports shares his thoughts on tonight’s matchup between Nebraska and Iowa.
Check out our College Basketball Free Picks page for betting thoughts from some of the country’s top handicappers.
Nebraska vs Iowa Betting Odds
Thursday, December 29 | Big Ten Conference Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Nebraska Cornhuskers +4.5 vs Iowa Hawkeyes |
Total: | 149.5 Points |
Game Time: | 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT |
Arena: | Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE (Odds Above by DraftKings) |
TV: | Big Ten Network |
Nebraska vs Iowa Betting Breakdown
The calendar has not flipped to 2023 yet, but this is a big game for two teams that need to avoid falling too far down the Big Ten pecking order.
Every team in the conference is currently sitting at .500 or better overall, which shows the overall strength of the Big Ten as one of the best teams in the conference.
Iowa Losses as 30+ Point Favorite
Iowa will make the four-hour trek to Lincoln after alternating between wins and losses in each of its last eight games.
The Hawkeyes enter this contest off a shocking loss to Eastern Illinois (which means they’re scheduled for a win, right?).
Iowa kicked off Big Ten play with an overtime loss to Wisconsin a couple weeks ago. The Hawkeyes were a 31.5-point favorite in that game to Eastern Illinois and lost by nine.
The Panthers entered that game with only one Division 1 win on their resume and Iowa allowed them to shoot 60-percent from the floor.
Iowa has had eight days to lick its wounds and get ready for Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes’ offense is No. 10 in the country according to KenPom’s efficiency metrics, and they are top-10 in the country in protecting the ball and limiting turnovers.
Fran McCaffrey’s bunch plays fast, with an average possession length of 15.1 seconds (No. 8 in the country).
Cornhuskers Eye First Big Ten Win
Nebraska is 0-2 to start conference play, but there’s no real shame in two losses to top-15 programs like Indiana and Purdue, especially since the Cornhuskers took the Boilermakers to overtime.
This is only Nebraska’s seventh home game this season after Fred Hoiberg loaded up their early schedule with road games and neutral site tests.
The free throw line will play a major role in the outcome of this game. Iowa relies on getting to the foul line often, but Nebraska’s foul rate is one of the best in the country. Plus, the Cornhuskers are playing at home.
Nebraska vs Iowa Prediction
Nebraska is 5-2-1 against the spread in its last eight meetings with Iowa in Lincoln. The Cornhuskers have already seen a number of fast-paced, high-volume offenses like Iowa so Coach Hoiberg should have his team pretty well prepared.
Prediction: Nebraska Cornhuskers +4.5
Interested in placing a bet on tonight’s Nebraska vs Iowa contest? DraftKings is offering a $1,000 Deposit Bonus for first-time bettors in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Wyoming and Arizona.
College Basketball Stat Sheet
GoldSheet prepares a daily college basketball stat sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Thursday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Nebraska vs Iowa contest.
Happy Hour Tip-Off Show
Get your daily fix of college hoops betting information with Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of handicapping guests.
The Happy Hour Tip-Off Show will broadcast Monday through Friday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT. Pull up a barstool and join us as we break down tonight’s college basketball card, including possibly this Nebraska vs Iowa clash, from a sports betting perspective.
College Basketball Odds Screen
Sportsmemo’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books.
Track the college basketball point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Thursday’s college basketball games, including this Nebraska vs Iowa showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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