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Forward Kris Murray of the Iowa Hawkeyes squares off during the first half against forward Will Tschetter of the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images/AFP.
Forward Kris Murray of the Iowa Hawkeyes squares off during the first half against forward Will Tschetter of the Michigan Wolverines at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images/AFP.

The back half of Sunday’s compelling Big Ten Basketball doubleheader is set to feature the Maryland Terrapins traveling to Iowa City to face the Iowa Hawkeyes. Read on for our Maryland-Iowa college basketball picks based on current odds.

After winning each of its first eight games, Maryland (10-6 against the spread, 5-11 Over/Under) has struggled over the past month against tougher opponents. The Terrapins have yet to win a conference game on the road, with recent losses to Michigan and Rutgers coming by double-digit margins. Maryland was able to pull out a home win over Ohio State in its last game one week ago.

Little was expected of Iowa (10-7 ATS, 10-7 O/U) following a three-game losing skid to the likes of Eastern Illinois, Nebraska, and Penn State. However, the Hawkeyes seem to have regained their form. Despite trailing by 10 at halftime against Indiana, Iowa was able to rally for the upset win. The team also won subsequent games against Rutgers and Michigan.

Here is our best Maryland vs. Iowa college basketball pick (odds via PointsBet; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Maryland vs. Iowa Game Info

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 15, 4:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: BTN
  • Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, IA

Maryland vs. Iowa Odds

Maryland vs. Iowa Odds Analysis

Consensus opening odds tabbed Iowa as a 4.5-point home favorite for Sunday evening’s contest. The spread has since increased by one full point. Virtually all major sportsbooks are presently listing Iowa -5.5.

The game total has also increased by one point relative to the opening line to produce a prevailing market consensus of 151.5.

In terms of ticket counts, the action has been evenly split between both sides of the O/U. Iowa has taken a healthy 70% majority of all ATS bets thus far.

Maryland vs. Iowa Pick

Over 150.5 ⭐⭐

Contrary to the school’s football team, the strength of Iowa basketball is its potent offense. The Hawkeyes scored more than 90 points in each of their last two home games against Indiana and Michigan. To date, Wisconsin is the only Big Ten team that has held Iowa below 80 points on its home floor. However, a total of 153 combined points were scored in the game.

Given what the Hawkeyes have already achieved against quality opposition, it’s no surprise that they rank ninth in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency rankings. Maryland may not be quite that strong on offense but still ranks 68th nationally in adjusted efficiency. Given Iowa’s flaws defensively, the Terps should also be able to score in this matchup.

The real question when it comes to this handicap is which team’s preferred playing style will win out. While Iowa ranks among the 50 fastest teams in terms of adjusted tempo according to KenPom, Maryland is outside of the top 200. The fact that the Hawkeyes have home court could go a long way toward deciding the pace at which this game is played. 

Of course, the market value of this pick also cannot be overlooked. PointsBet continues to sit at the opening line of 150.5 while all other shops have risen a full point. 

Maryland vs. Iowa Best Odds

PointsBet (-115)

DraftKingsBetMGMCaesarsPointsBetBetRivers
O 151.5 (-110)O 151.5 (-110)O 151.5 (-110)O 150.5 (-115)O 151.5 (-112)

For those looking to bet the Over in Sunday evening’s Big Ten matchup, PointsBet is clearly the shop to target. Laying -115 juice isn’t always ideal, but the ability to obtain a full point of value relative to other books in the market makes it worthwhile in this case. 

Maryland vs. Iowa picks made on Sunday, 1/15 at 1 p.m. EST.

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

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