It’s the Jimmy V Classic, and we have a couple of exciting college basketball matchups in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Dec. 6. For the nightcap, Duke is set to face Iowa at 9:30 pm ET while airing on ESPN. Duke enters this game as 2.5-point favorites with the total set at 146.5. How will this one play out? Let’s dive into the Duke vs. Iowa predictions below.
Duke vs. Iowa Odds
- Spread: Duke -2.5
- Total: 146.5
Odds via BetRivers. Check out our BetRivers Review to find out how to redeem a $500 risk-free bet.
Game Info
- Date: Tuesday, Dec. 6
- Time: 9:30 pm ET
- Location: Madison Square Garden — New York, NY
- TV: ESPN
Duke Betting Trends
- Duke is 5-5 ATS this season
- The Over is 3-7 in Duke games this season
- Duke is 5-5 ATS as favorites this season
- Duke is 6-1 as favorites in their last 7 games
- Duke is 6-0 at home in their last 6 games
- Duke is 1-5 ATS after a win in their last 6 games
Iowa Betting Trends
- Iowa is 5-2 ATS this season
- The Over is 2-5 in Iowa games this season
- Iowa is 1-2 ATS on the road this season
- Iowa is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games
- The Over is 1-4 in Iowa games in their last 5 games
- Iowa is 4-1 ATS as underdogs in their last 5 games
Duke vs. Iowa Predictions
Iowa enters this game with a 6-1 record, but this will be the Hawkeyes’ biggest test of the young season. Iowa notched some solid victories against Seton Hall, Clemson, and Georgia Tech earlier this season. However, none of those teams are ranked higher than 53 according to Kenpom. The Hawkeyes have faced one top 25 team this year, losing 79-66 against TCU.
Duke is 8-2 on the season while suffering losses to a pair of top-5 teams: Kansas and Purdue. However, the Blue Devils were able to take care of business against Xavier (No. 31 in Kenpom rankings) and Ohio State (No. 20) in recent games. This is a young squad with plenty of talent, and they’ll need to figure out how to play with consistency as the season goes along.
It feels like Duke is more battle-tested heading into this matchup, and the Blue Devils’ length (and defense) could give Iowa problems. Let’s take the more talented side on the short spread.
The Pick: Duke -2.5 | -110 at BetRivers Sportsbook