Rutgers vs Iowa Odds and Picks

• #15 Iowa (13-6, 7-5 Big Ten) battles #25 Rutgers (11-6, 7-6 Big Ten) on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 7:30pm ET
• Iowa edged Rutgers when these teams met on Jan. 2, but they’ve gone in different directions recently
• The odds for the game, as well as matchup analysis and a pick, can be found in the article below

About five weeks have passed since Iowa and Rutgers last played, and now entering Wednesday’s rematch (7:30pm ET tip off) these teams are in very different places than they were back then.

For Rutgers, the Jan. 2 loss to Iowa began a five-game losing streak, which has since given way to a four-game win streak. For Iowa, a five-game win streak (which included the Rutgers win) has led to four losses in their past five.

#15 Iowa vs #25 Rutgers Odds

Odds taken Feb. 9th at PointsBet

How They’ve Fared Recently

Iowa is stuck in the only real rough patch of its season right now, having lost four of five and searching for the magic that made it a top-5 team in NCAA Division I not long ago.

Scoring is typically not the Hawkeyes’ problem, as they rank first in NCAA D-I in adjusted offensive efficiency, as well as top 20 in effective field goal percentage and 3-pt. percentage. Defensively is where they need to tighten up, and considering their past three losses have all come by five points or fewer, they might only be a tweak or two from getting right.

.@cj_fredrick sent him stumbling. 👀

And then drained the jumper for No. 3 @IowaHoops: pic.twitter.com/FdvitfsvMY

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 12, 2020

Iowa will have CJ Frederick back in the lineup on Wednesday after the guard missed the past two games with a leg injury. It sounds like Frederick is still not 100 percent, as coach Fran McCaffrey noted Frederick will likely be concerned “day-to-day” for the rest of the season, but his 8.7 points per game on efficient shooting will be a boost regardless. The Hawkeyes have lost all three games he’s missed this season.

Give credit where it’s due: Rutgers is trending toward possibly its best season since entering the Big Ten in 2007. That’s been particularly true of late, with four consecutive wins.

🦫🔨 pic.twitter.com/SWZjTGQIB8

— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) February 7, 2021

It hasn’t always been easy — four of Rutgers’ seven conference wins have come by five points or fewer — but the Scarlet Knights, led by their 17th-ranked adjusted defensive efficiency, are finding ways to take care of business.

ATS Analysis

Iowa is merely 10-9 against the spread this season, but that mark improves to 8-4 ATS at home. The Hawkeyes are on a nasty five-game ATS losing streak, with three of those losses coming at home.

🏀🔜 | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/zHtqY0YwfG

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) February 4, 2021

Rutgers is an even 8-8-1 ATS, with a 3-3 ATS road record to match. The Scarlet Knights have won three of their past four ATS, but mostly recently they failed to cover as 5.5-point favorites against Minnesota.

Eyeing up the over on the point total might be in your best interest, as these teams have combined to see it hit in 21 of 36 games (58.3 percent).

Head-to-Head Matchup

On Jan. 2, Iowa edged Rutgers, 77-75, in a game that featured back-and-forth drama from the start. Luka Garza was superb for Iowa, scoring a game-high 25 points, but Rutgers countered with an impressive five double-digit scorers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gey2WgfhME4

The Hawkeyes committed 15 turnovers, which is wildly uncharacteristic of them. Don’t expect a repeat of that.

We don’t like the Hawkeyes’ current ATS skid, but it is a comfort to know Frederick will be back in the lineup. Parlaying a straight-up win for Iowa with an over on the point total is how we’re leaning for this one.

Pick: Over 152 (-110)