Iowa Hawkeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/15/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Hawkeyes and Golden Gophers. The game is starting at 6:00 ET on BTN, and it’s hosted by the Golden Gophers at Williams Arena in Minneapolis, MN. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 158.5 points, and the Golden Gophers are the home favorites against the Hawkeyes in a Big Ten conference matchup.

IOWA HAWKEYES VS MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Minnesota Golden Gophers -1.5

This game will be played at Williams Arena at 6:00 ET on Monday, January 15th.

WHY BET THE MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Golden Gophers.
• Not only will Minnesota pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 158.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Does Iowa Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Despite being the underdog, Iowa has been the favorite in 10 of their 16 games this season. They have a 10-1 record as the favorite compared to 0-5 as the underdog. Their average scoring margin at home is +18.1, but on the road, it is -15.8. This year, they are 10-2 at home and 0-4 on the road.

After starting the season 2-8 on the road, the Hawkeyes have won two straight games. They are coming off a 94-76 win over Nebraska. So far, they are 2-3 in Big Ten play and 8-3 in non-conference action.

As the underdog this season, Iowa has an ATS record of just 1-4 and their overall ATS mark stands at 7-9. On the road, the Hawkeyes have gone just 1-3 vs. the spread this year and their last 10 road ATS record is 3-6-1. Over their last three games as the underdog, Iowa is 0-3 and their last 10 underdog ATS mark is 3-7.

The over/under record for Iowa games this season is 12-4 and today’s line of 158.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (161.2). So far, 10 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 162 points and the over/under record in their games over their last 10 games is 8-2.

Iowa’s offense is coming off a good game, putting up 94 points vs. Nebraska. Overall, they hit 52.2% of their shots from the field and went 9/14 from the free-throw line. On the offensive front, the Hawkeyes have a season-long field goal percentage of 47%, ranking 71st nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 117th in terms of percentage and 190th in three-pointers made.

Coming into today’s game, the Iowa defense is giving up an average of 77.5 points per contest. Iowa’s defense is coming off a game in which they allowed the Nebraska offense to knock down 52% of their shots on their way to putting up 76 points.

Can Minnesota Pull Off a Home Win?

Minnesota has been a completely different team at home compared to on the road this season. The Golden Gophers are 11-1 at home this season, compared to just 1-3 on the road. Their average scoring margin at home is +17.9 points per game, compared to -9.5 on the road.

Minnesota has won nine straight games at home, and their record as the favorite this season is a perfect 10-0. Their overall record this season is 12-4, including a 3-2 mark in Big Ten play. In their last game, the Golden Gophers lost to Indiana by a score of 74-62.

Minnesota has been outstanding against the spread this season, going 12-3-1 overall. They have been even better vs. the spread at home, going 10-1-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Golden Gophers are 9-0-1.

Today’s over/under line of 158.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Minnesota’s games this season (143.1). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 135 points. So far this year, their over/under record is 7-9.

The Minnesota offense, in their latest game, managed to score just 62 points versus Indiana. During the game, they attempted 20 three-point shots and had a field goal percentage of 39%. The team’s scoring leader is Dawson Garcia, who holds an average of 16.5 as they head into today’s matchup. Additionally, Joshua Ola-Joseph is averaging 10.8 points per game this season.

At present, the Golden Gophers’ defense is nationally ranked 71st, allowing 66.8 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Minnesota’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 41.6% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 33.4% this season.