#20 Iowa Hawkeyes at Indiana Hoosiers
Assembly Hall – Bloomington, Indiana
Thursday, February 27, 2014, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Opening Line: Iowa -4
Current Line: Iowa -4
Opening Total: 146
Current Total: 145
Opening Money Line: Iowa -185 / Indiana +160
Current Money Line: Iowa -185 / Indiana +160
The 19-8 Iowa Hawkeyes and 15-12 Indiana Hoosiers were supposed to play last Tuesday in Bloomington but the game was postponed when a piece of metal fell from the ceiling of historic Assembly Hall in the afternoon before the game. No one was injured, and the game was rescheduled for tonight. Iowa is 8-6 in the Big Ten and in fifth place. The Hawkeyes will likely be around a 4, 5, or 6 seed in the NCAA tournament. Indiana is 5-9 in conference and in 8th place. The Hoosiers will likely have to settle for an NIT berth unless they win the Big Ten tournament.
Indiana leads the series against Iowa 97-74, including 57-28 in Bloomington. The Hoosiers won both meetings last season, but this is the only scheduled meeting this season.
Iowa is coached by Fran McCaffery. The Hawkeyes have losses to Villanova in the Championship game of a tournament in the Bahamas, at Iowa State, Wisconsin twice, at Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Saturday at Minnesota 95-89. The Hawkeyes have lost two straight games. Iowa has key wins over Pennsylvania, Xavier and UTEP both in the Bahamas, Notre Dame, Drake in Des Moines, Nebraska, Northwestern twice, at Ohio State, Minnesota, at Illinois, Michigan, and at Penn State. Iowa is 15-10 ATS and the total is 17-7 this season.
Iowa is outscoring teams 84-69 this season. The Hawkeyes are #7 nationally in scoring. Iowa is shooting 47.1% from the field and 36.7% from 3 point range. The Hawkeyes make 73.1% of their free throws. Opponents are shooting 39.8% from the field and 30.2% from 3 point range. The Hawkeyes are 29th or better nationally in both categories. Iowa is fourth nationally in rebounding at 42.1 per game and opponents are averaging 29.7. The Hawkeyes average 16.3 assists, 11.6 turnovers, 6.9 steals and 5.2 blocks per game. Opponents average 12.3 assists, 13.2 turnovers, 6.4 steals, and 3.3 blocks per game.
Guard Roy Devyn Marble averages 16.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Forward Aaron White averages 13.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Guard Mike Gesell averages 8.1 points, 2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Forward Jarrod Uthoff averages 8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. Forward Melsahn Basabe averages 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He is questionable Thursday with the flu. Forward Zach McCabe averages 6.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Guard Peter Jok averages 4.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Gabriel Olaseni, Adam Woodbury, Josh Oglesby, and Anthony Clemmons will also get significant time in the rotation.
Indiana is coached Tom Crean. The Hoosiers have losses to Connecticut in a tournament in New York City, at Syracuse, Notre Dame in Indianapolis, at Illinois, Michigan State twice, Northwestern, at Nebraska, at Minnesota, Penn State, at Purdue and at Wisconsin 69-58 Tuesday night. Indiana has key wins over Washington at Madison Square Garden, Evansville, Oakland, at Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and at Northwestern. The Hoosiers have lost 4 of their last 5 games. Indiana is 12-13-1 ATS and the total is 10-16 this season.
Indiana is outscoring teams 72-66 this season. The Hoosiers are shooting 44.6% from the field and 34.5% from 3 point range. Indiana makes 72.5% from the free throw line. Hoosier opponents are shooting 40.5% from the field and 30.5% from 3 point range. Indiana is #50 in field goal defense nationally and #30 in three point defense. The Hoosiers are #13 nationally in rebounding averaging 39.9 per game and #18 in rebounds allowed at 27.4 per game. Indiana averages 10.9 assists, 15 turnovers, 6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game. Opponents average 10.4 assists, 12.4 turnovers, 7.4 steals and 4.8 blocks per game.
Guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell averages 17.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Forward Noah Vonleh averages 11.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1 steal and 1.3 blocks per game. Forward Will Sheehey averages 10.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Forward Jeremy Hollowell averages 6.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1 assists per game. Forward Troy Williams averages 6.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1 steal per game. Guard Evan Gordon averages 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1 steal per game. Stanford Robinson, Hanner Mosquera-Perea, Luke Fischer, Devin Davis and Austin Etherington will also get time in the rotation.
Iowa is 10-2 ATS after failing to cover, 5-1 after allowing more than 90 points, 9-2 after a straight up loss, 7-2 in road games and against teams with winning home records, 14-6 in Big Ten games, and 38-17 overall. The Hawkeyes are 16-5 ATS in the last 21 against the Hoosiers, including 8-3 in Bloomington.
Indiana is 2-5 ATS after a straight up loss, 1-4 against teams with winning records, overall, and in Big Ten games. The under is 4-1 in this series recently. The home team is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games in this series. The underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 between Iowa and Indiana.
Both teams, have struggled recently, but Iowa is clearly the better team. The Hawkeyes need a win to get back on track heading into March. Iowa can score in the 80’s and if they do that it will be tough for Indiana to run with them.
