Hawkeye Basketball: Iowa vs. Michigan State Game Lines and Predictions

After back-to-back losses for the first time all season, the Iowa Hawkeyes are officially in must-win territory if they want to keep the dream of a Big Ten regular season championship alive. They look to get back on track tonight as they play host to a struggling Michigan State team that has lost three in a row.

Iowa opened a a 10.5 point favorite over the Spartans, but that number has now fallen to -9.5 in most books. The over/under is hovering around 155, but has trended lower as game time approaches.

So, what are we expecting to see in this one? Well, the BHGP staff is all in on the Hawkeyes playing with a chip on their shoulder after that nail-biter in Champaign last Friday night.

More specifically, nobody thinks Michigan State can keep up with Iowa, with or without CJ Fredrick. Harrison, aka BoilerHawk had this to say:

MSU just doesn’t have the offensive firepower to keep pace with Iowa.

He wasn’t alone. Thad, aka Tnels20, agrees the offense is just too much for Sparty.

Even with CJ Fredrick still questionable, Iowa’s offense is too much for this Spartan team to handle. I don’t think MSU has checked out, but if Iowa jumps on them from the start I could see this getting lopsided in a hurry.

Here’s hoping they’re right. Recent history appears to be on their side. Since coming back from a COVID-19 pause, Michigan State has scored a mind-numbing 37 points against Rutgers and just 62 against Ohio State.

The sports media world seems to think they will be. According to Tallysight.com, 100% of the industry is picking the Hawkeyes to win, including the Michigan State insiders.

Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal says:

MSU should find less resistence defensively from the Hawkeyes on the perimeter than it did against Rutgers or Ohio State. And Iowa is definitely more vulnerable without Fredrick. Does that mean MSU’s guards and shooters will get comfortable? That’s what it’s going to take to keep this close. There’s no evidence that an efficient offensive performance and a hot shooting night is coming.

If that’s not a reverse jinx I’m not sure what is, but here’s hoping the media knows a thing or two tonight.

Be sure to check out Tallysight.com for insights not just on Iowa’s games the rest of the way, but all sports matchups. They have great insider breakdowns from local reporters and writers for everything from college hoops to the NFL and everything in between.