Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa St Cyclones
James H. Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa
Friday, December 9, 2011, 8:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN Full Court
Opening Line: Iowa St -9 1/2
Current Line: Iowa St -9
Opening Total: 148
Current Total: 148
Opening Money Line: Iowa St -500 / Iowa +400
Current Money Line: Iowa St -450 / Iowa +370
The 5-4 Iowa Hawkeyes travel to Ames to take on in-state rival 6-3 Iowa St Friday night. This is the second of three games in a row for Iowa against in-state rivals as they lost Tuesday at Northern Iowa 80-60 and the Hawkeyes will host Drake next Saturday. Iowa St has already lost to Northern Iowa 69-62 and Drake 74-65 this season. The Cyclones also have a loss at Michigan 76-66 on the season. Iowa is coached by Fran McCaffery, and Iowa St is coached by Fred Hoiberg. Iowa leads the series against Iowa St 42-22, but the series is tied at 16 in Ames. Iowa St has won 2 straight in the series including 75-72 last year in Iowa City.
Iowa was a 9 point underdog Tuesday night at Northern Iowa on the college basketball betting line. Northern Iowa took a 32-27 lead at halftime. The Panthers expanded their lead in the second half and cruised to an 80-60 win. Iowa shot 50.9% from the field, but the Hawkeyes missed 11 out of 12 three point shots. Iowa was 3 for 9 from the free throw line. The Hawkeyes had 30 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 steals, and 12 turnovers. Iowa guard/forward Roy Devyn-Marble had 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Guard/forward Eric May was the only other Hawkeye in double digit scoring with 10 points. May also had 2 rebounds and an assist. Northern Iowa shot 45.5% from the field, including 11/21 from three point range. The Panthers were 29/33 from the free throw line. Northern Iowa had 25 rebounds, and 12 turnovers.
Iowa has only one player averaging double digit scoring, but has 8 players averaging at least 6.8 points. Matt Gatens averages 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.7 steals a game to lead the team. May, Devyn-Marble, Josh Oglesby, Zach McCabe, Melsahn Basabe, Aaron White, and Bryce Cartwright also contribute to the scoring. McCabe, Basabe, and White are the leading rebounders but none average more than 4.9 boards a game. Cartwright leads the team in assists with 4.3 a game. No Hawkeye averages more than 0.4 blocks a game. The Hawkeyes have only player over 6’9″ on the roster, and that is Center Gabriel Olaseni who only plays around 5 minutes a game.
Iowa is outscoring opponents 75-69 this season. The Hawkeyes are shooting 43.5% from the field including 34.7% from 3 point range. Iowa makes 71.7% from the free throw line. The Hawkeyes average 36.7 rebounds and have a rebounding margin of +2.1. Iowa averages 15 assists and 12.2 turnovers a game. The Hawkeyes average 9.4 steals and 1.8 blocks a game. Iowa opponents are shooting 45.6% from the field, including 37.3% from beyond the arc.
Tuesday night Iowa St hosted Prairie View A&M. There was no line on the game. The Cyclones jumped out to a 46-23 halftime lead and cruised to an easy 84-59 win. Iowa St was 27/52 from the field, including 6/17 from 3 point range. The Cyclones made 24 of their 36 free throws. Iowa St had 35 rebounds, 19 assists, 6 steals 2 blocks, and 14 turnovers. Guard Chris Allen scored 16 points, and added 2 rebounds, 7 assists, and a steal. Center Percy Gibson had 15 points, 7 rebounds and a block. Forward Royce White and guard Tyrus McGee each added 12 points off the bench. Guard Chris Babb only scored 5 points, but added 9 rebounds, an assist, and 3 steals. Prairie View shot 39.4% from the field, including 2/13 from 3 point range.
White leads the Cyclones in scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocks averaging 14.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks a game. Allen averages 13.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists a game. Babb averages 11.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals a game to lead the team. McGee averages 10.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game.
Iowa St is outscoring opponents 78-68 this season. The Cyclones are shooting 46.3% from the field, including 38.9% from 3-point range. Iowa St makes 71.9% of their free throws. The Cyclones average 37.3 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +7.2. ISU averages 15.6 assists and 12.7 turnovers a game. The Cyclones average 6 steals and 2.7 blocks a game. Iowa St opponents are shooting 44.6% from the field, including 29.5% from 3-point range.
Iowa St is 3-4 against the spread and the total is 4-3 this season. Iowa is 2-3 ATS and the total is 2-2-1 this season. The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last ten game sin this series, and the over is 4-1 in the last 5. The Hawkeyes are 21-6 ATS following an ATS loss, 25-51 in non-conference games, 2-5 as a road underdog of 7-12.5 points, 2-6 against teams with winning records, 1-4 in road games, and in road games against teams with winning records. The Cyclones are 5-1 ATS in Friday games, 7-3 against teams with winning records, and 1-4 against Big Ten teams.
Though both Iowa and Iowa St have winning records this season, they have played pretty soft schedules so far. The best win for either team is arguably Iowa St’s 64-54 over Providence in the South Padre Island Invitational Thanksgiving weekend. Providence is at best a middle of the pack team in the Big East. Iowa has losses to Creighton 82-59 and Clemson 71-55 along with an embarrassing loss at home to Campbell 77-61. I think Iowa St is slightly better than Iowa but neither of these teams are very good. The Cyclones win a close game at home.
