It’s a showdown between two of college basketball’s best when the No. 16 Iowa Hawkeyes take on the No. 4 Michigan State Spartans.
The Hawkeyes are entering this contest red-hot on a five-game win streak, including an 83-70 “upset” over then-No. 1 Michigan State on December 29, with Iowa being a -2.5 favorite in that match due to the Spartans’ Denzel Valentine having missed that game. The Spartans were quick to put that loss behind them, having embarked on a three-game win streak ahead of this highly-anticipated rematch.
Can the Hawkeyes do it again, or will the Spartans get their sweet revenge? Read on for a breakdown of this can’t-miss matchup. Then, get more college hoops coverage with our complete previews for Pittsburgh vs. Louisville and Washington vs. Arizona.
[MarchMadness ]
Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans Preview
Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing
When: Thursday, January 14, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan State Spartans – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the Iowa Hawkeyes (12-3)
These Iowa Hawkeyes are tough. Sleep on them and they’ll blow you out in a heartbeat, even if you’re the No. 1 team in the nation. The Hawkeyes showcased their toughness most recently by beating then-No. 1 Michigan State 83-70 at home on December 29. Mike Gesell was splendid with a career-high 25 points, while Peter Jok added 19 to topple Michigan State.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Jok and Gesell are ranked second and third on the team with 13.1 and 9.9 points per game, respectively. Jok could once again explode for a big game, considering he’s been solid on the road with 16.3 points per game this season.
Gesell, on the other hand, has struggled on the road, averaging just nine points in Iowa’s three road games. If Gesell continues to struggle with his shot, at least you can expect him to be a decoy before dishing out assists to his wide-open teammates instead. Gesell has 7.5 assists per game in his last four outings.
Senior forward Jarrod Uthoff won’t allow himself to be left out of the spotlight, though. He’s entering this game on the heels of back-to-back 25-point outings. Uthoff is also averaging a healthy 24 points per game on the road this season.
Iowa will have a very good chance of another big win over Michigan State if they can limit the Spartans’ three-point shooting. Iowa held the Spartans to shoot 3 of 13 from downtown in the December 29 victory. Take note that the Spartans are one of the best teams in the nation in three-point shooting this season, making 39.6 percent of their three-pointers.
The Hawkeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games.
Betting on the Michigan State Spartans (16-1)
Things could be tough without do-it-all star Denzel Valentine for the Michigan State Spartans. In their first game missing Valentine, the Spartans lost their then-unbeaten record and No. 1 standing in the nation to Iowa. But the Spartans could have a much better outing this time around, with Valentine back healthy and raring to have a go at it against the Buckeyes.
After missing three-straight games, Valentine finally returned for Michigan State and scored 10 points on 4 of 11 shooting against Penn State earlier this week. He struggled with his shot from downtown, though, going just 1 of 6 from three-point range, and also finished with four rebounds and four assists. It was a far cry from Valentine’s reliable statline, having led the Spartans with 17.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.8 points per game so far this season.
If Valentine needs time to get back into the groove, then he can still rely on teammates Bryn Forbes, Eron Harris and Gavin Schilling to pick up the slack. Forbes dropped a game-high 20 points against Penn State, while Harris and Schilling each scored 13 points.
Of the three, Harris had the best outing against Iowa on December 29, with 21 points and five rebounds. Matt Costello could also be a force against the Hawkeyes, as he finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in the loss to Iowa.
The Spartans will have a better chance of getting their revenge if they can heat up from three-point range. Michigan State has hit 37 percent of their three-pointers in their last three home games. However, they could still struggle this Thursday considering that night Iowa ranks 22nd in the nation in three-point defense. The Buckeyes have allowed opponents to shoot just 30.2 percent from downtown this season.
The Spartans are 5-3 ATS in their last eight at home.
Writer’s Prediction
The Spartans get their sweet revenge by beating Iowa, with Valentine finally heating up.
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