Halftime Report

After a tough loss on the road their last time out, Iowa looks much better today on their home court. They have jumped out to a quick 44-37 lead against Iowa State.

Iowa came into the match with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.

Who’s Playing

Iowa State Cyclones @ Iowa Hawkeyes

Current Records: Iowa State 7-1, Iowa 7-2

How To Watch

What to Know

Iowa will be in front of their home fans on Thursday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. They will host the Iowa State Cyclones at 7:30 p.m. ET at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Iowa is headed into Thursday’s matchup after beating the impressive 159.5-point over/under the oddsmakers set for their last contest against Michigan. Iowa lost 85-83 to Michigan on a last-minute layup From Roddy Gayle Jr. For those keeping track at home, that’s the closest defeat the Hawkeyes have suffered since January 24th.

Despite their loss, Iowa saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Pryce Sandfort, who went 6 for 10 en route to 16 points plus two steals, was perhaps the best of all. The team also got some help courtesy of Josh Dix, who posted 16 points along with seven rebounds.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Iowa State). They took their game on Sunday with ease, bagging a 100-58 victory over Jackson State. The Cyclones have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matches by 26 points or more this season.

Iowa State got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Dishon Jackson out in front who scored 17 points in addition to five rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Milan Momcilovic, who went 6 for 10 en route to 18 points.

Iowa State was working as a unit and finished the game with 26 assists. That’s the most assists they’ve posted since back in December of 2023.

Iowa’s defeat dropped their record down to 7-2. As for Iowa State, their victory was their 23rd straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-1.

Thursday’s matchup is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Iowa just can’t miss this season, having nailed 49.1% of their field goals per game. However, it’s not like Iowa State struggles in that department as they’ve made 50.8% of their field goals this season. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

While only Iowa State took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. As for their next game, Iowa State is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 6.5 points. This will be Iowa’s first time playing as the underdogs at home this season.

Odds

Iowa State is a solid 6.5-point favorite against Iowa, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 6.5-point spread, and stayed right there.

The oddsmakers are expecting fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 159.5 points.

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Series History

Iowa has won 5 out of their last 9 games against Iowa State.

• Dec 07, 2023 – Iowa State 90 vs. Iowa 65
• Dec 08, 2022 – Iowa 75 vs. Iowa State 56
• Dec 09, 2021 – Iowa State 73 vs. Iowa 53
• Dec 11, 2020 – Iowa 105 vs. Iowa State 77
• Dec 12, 2019 – Iowa 84 vs. Iowa State 68
• Dec 06, 2018 – Iowa 98 vs. Iowa State 84
• Dec 07, 2017 – Iowa State 84 vs. Iowa 78
• Dec 08, 2016 – Iowa 78 vs. Iowa State 64
• Dec 10, 2015 – Iowa State 83 vs. Iowa 82