Iowa vs. Iowa State Predictions: College Basketball Picks – Thursday, Dec. 8

Iowa forward Kris Murray, left, high-fives guard Connor McCaffery during a NCAA men's basketball game against Bethune-Cookman, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
Image Credit: Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

We have a good old-fashioned in-state rivalry game, as Iowa is set to face Iowa State on Thursday, Dec. 8. The game is scheduled for 8 pm ET while airing on FS1. Iowa enters this game as 3.5-point favorites with the total set at 141. How will this one play out? Let’s dive into the Iowa vs. Iowa State predictions below.

Iowa vs. Iowa State Odds

  • Spread: Iowa -3.5
  • Total: 141

Odds via PointsBet. New to this sportsbook? Check out our exclusive PointsBet Promo to redeem up to $2,000 in risk-free bets!

Game Info

  • Date: Thursday, Dec. 8
  • Time: 8 pm ET
  • Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena — Iowa City, IA
  • TV: FS1

Iowa Betting Trends

  • KenPom Ranking: No. 23
  • Iowa is 5-3 ATS this season
  • The Over is 2-6 in Iowa games this season
  • Iowa is 5-2 ATS as favorites this season
  • Iowa is 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games
  • The Over is 1-5 in Iowa games in their last 6 games
  • Iowa is 5-2 ATS as favorites in their last 7 games

Iowa State Betting Trends

  • KenPom Ranking: No. 39
  • Iowa State is 5-3 ATS this season
  • The Over is 1-7 in Iowa State games this season
  • Iowa State is 2-1 ATS as underdogs this season
  • The Over is 1-8 in Iowa State games in their last 9 games
  • Iowa State is 5-2 ATS as underdogs in their last 7 games
  • Iowa State is 10-44 as underdogs in their last 54 games

Iowa vs. Iowa State Predictions

Iowa checks in as a small home favorite in this rivalry game. The Hawkeyes lost to No. 15 Duke in New York City on Tuesday, so they’ll look to bounce back at home. Iowa has dropped two of its last three games, also falling to TCU in another neutral site contest. However, the Hawkeyes carry a potent offensive attack, as Kenpom has them ranked sixth in adjusted offense.

On the other hand, Iowa State hangs its hat on defense, so this will be a clash in style. The Cyclones rank 13th in adjusted defense up to this point, helping them grab wins against Villanova, North Carolina, and St. John’s.

This line has fallen after opening Iowa -6.5. The public is betting on Iowa State getting points as a higher-ranked team. However, we believe this is a strong bounce-back spot for the Hawkeyes at home. Go ahead and take Iowa -3.5 all the way up to -5.5 if necessary.

The Pick: Iowa -3.5 | -110 at PointsBet