Iowa vs Ohio State | NCAAB Picks
The Iowa Hawkeyes (18-13) battle the Ohio State Buckeyes (19-12) in one of our NCAA Basketball picks on Thursday, March 14, 2024. This second-round fixture of the Big Ten Tournament Conference will be held at the Target Center. The winner in this tie will advance to the quarterfinals to play the Illinois Fighting Illini. Will we see a repeat of the Hawkeyes display in the regular season, or will the Buckeyes have their day this time? We’ll see.
Iowa State Hawkeyes
The Iowa State Hawkeyes (10-10, Big Ten) will return to action after Sunday’s loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini in the final game of the Conference regular season. They had back-to-back wins against Penn State Nittany Lions and Northwestern Wildcats before losing to the Fighting Illini, one of the best sides in the conference. A superior Illinois side defeated them both in the first and second halves. Hawkeyes Forward Payton Sandfort had an excellent outing in the game, netting 23 points, but his numbers weren’t enough to change the game’s final outcome.
The result meant that they finished 6th in the Big Ten Conference standings—a position that means they have to begin their postseason tournament in the second round and will not face the Ohio State Buckeyes. They already met the Buckeyes in the regular season in a game the Hawkeyes struggled to win. Going into this game, Fran McCaffery must understand that a different approach is needed if they want to advance to the quarterfinals.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes (9-11, Big Ten) should be up to the task when they meet the Hawkeyes at the Target Center. They finished their Big Ten Conference regular season on a high note, winning four consecutive games. The final match was against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday, winning 73-51. We expect the team to carry this form into their first Big Ten tournament game since the end of the season. They indeed have what it takes to advance and the team to make it happen.
Their opponent for tomorrow’s game, the Iowa Hawkeyes, luckily won their last meeting in one of the Big Ten Conference games. It would not matter how they win or the difference in points in this encounter. The most important thing is to get a victory, and this is what we expect Jake Diebler to pursue from the start of the game, as a slip-up could be costly.
Head-to-Head Hawkeyes vs Buckeyes
The game between these two teams is one not to miss. Bookmakers will also provide betting options for bettors to jump on for this game, among other NCAA Basketball games on the night. In the past ten meetings, the Hawkeyes have won six, while the Buckeyes have won four. Looking at their previous records and the Hawkeyes’ recent 79-77 home-court win, we expect a tough game between these two sides.
Hawkeyes vs Buckeyes Predictions
The Iowa Hawkeyes are 10-10 in the Big Ten Conference and are favourites heading into this game. However, the quality and difference in performance in both teams aren’t so high, looking at how their season went. The Hawkeyes average 83.1 points and 35.4 rebounds per game compared to the Buckeyes, which averages 74.5 points and 36.3 rebounds per game. Based on their records, the game is most likely tilting to a win for the Hawkeyes, with the bookmakers favouring them with the Moneyline winner odds. Nevertheless, we should expect a competitive game. Most importantly, bettors need to bet responsibly. They can set aside funds for the Big Ten Conference Tournament game’s predictions to help them minimize losses. There is also the option to set deposit limits on individual accounts.
Players To Look Out For
According to our research, we should see a game with two teams hungry to advance into the next round of the Big Ten Tournament. However, we expect certain players to turn up on the big day. Hawkeyes’ Payton Sandfort has been a thorn in the flesh for opponents all season, and we expect him to score some points tomorrow. He averages 16.2 points per game. However, he will also need the likes of Tony Perkins, Ben Krikke, and Owen Freeman, who record 14.5, 13.5, and 10.6 points per game, respectively, to bring their A-game.
On the other hand, the Ohio State Buckeyes surely won’t be an easy ride, boasting of players who can change the outcome of games. Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, and Roddy Gayle Jr. average 16.1, 14.4, and 13.8 points per game, respectively. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if they beat the Hawkeyes.
BetVictor’s Iowa State vs Ohio State Pick: Ohio State -1.5 Points Spread
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