Iowa vs Iowa State Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s College Basketball Game

The Iowa Hawkeyes head to Ames to take on the No. 4-ranked Iowa State Cyclones in NCAA basketball action tonight.

Early money has come in on the visitors, with the Hawkeyes shifting from +12.5 to +10.5, but my Iowa vs. Iowa State predictions are going against the line movement.

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Here are my best free college basketball picks for the latest edition of the Cy-Hawk rivalry on December 11.

Iowa vs Iowa State prediction

Iowa vs Iowa State best bet: Iowa State -10.5 (-110)

Both of these schools are off to a great start this season, with the Iowa State Cyclones boasting a perfect 9-0 record and the Iowa Hawkeyes at 8-1.

The Cyclones are coming off an incredible performance where they beat former top-ranked Purdue 81-58 in its own backyard. They shot 58% from 2-point range and 48% from deep in that contest while holding the Boilermakers to just 4-for-18 from the arc.

I understand why early money is on Iowa. The Cyclones’ stock is at a sell-high point after clobbering Purdue, and rivalry games are often good spots to bet the underdog. That said, I can’t see an emotional letdown for ISU given the nature of this rivalry, and the Hawkeyes lost by 20+ points in their last two trips to Ames.

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The Cyclones boast another Quad 1 win against No. 22 Saint John’s, as well as blowout victories over Creighton, Syracuse, and Mississippi State. Iowa’s resume is less impressive, with no Quad 2 games and an ugly 71-52 loss to Michigan State in its lone Quad 1 contest.

This is a team with a completely rebuilt roster under a new head coach, with Bennett Stirtz (18.7 points and 4.9 assists per game) being the only player capable of creating his own shot. Iowa doesn’t have anyone else averaging more than 9.0 points per game, and that won’t cut it against ISU, which is second in the country in adjusted defense according to KenPom.

On the other side of the floor, the Cyclones rank sixth in the country in adjusted offense. They take care of the ball, attack the offensive glass, and…

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Publish date : 2025-12-11 17:05:00

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