Thursday’s college basketball schedule is highlighted by a fierce in-state battle between Iowa and Iowa State. If you’re unsure which way to lean on that matchup, we have a betting selection to offer. We’ve also made picks for a few other games and have a player prop that’s worth considering.
#3 Iowa State (7-1) at Iowa (7-2)
This will be Iowa State’s first true road game of the season, so that’s something to watch closely. However, whether they’ve been home or on a neutral floor, the Cyclones have been impressive this season. They’ve scored wins over Dayton, Colorado, and Marquette, losing only to Auburn in a game they probably should have won. The guard play from Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones has been next level while Iowa State also boasts a strong frontcourt, giving them five players who average double figures. Iowa, to be fair, is 6-0 at home, although a one-point win over Northwestern is their most impressive win of the season thus far. Even after a close loss to Michigan last time out, the Hawkeyes haven’t seen a team with Iowa State’s talent. The Cyclones should be able to control this game with their guards and should pull away late to cover 6.5 points.
Pick: Iowa State -6.5
Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State) Under 7.5 Points
Unfortunately for Lipsey, he’s been forced to take a step back this season. He averaged 12.4 points per game for the Cyclones last season but just 7.3 points per game this season with Gilbert and Jones taking minutes and shots away from him. Lipsey has been held to six points or less in four of his last five games, providing very little offense against quality opponents like Auburn, Dayton, and Marquette. A showdown with Iowa doesn’t seem like the type of game in which Lipsey will play a prominent role based on how Iowa State’s season has unfolded. Lipsey will take a back seat to the other guards and end up scoring seven points or less once again.
Chattanooga (5-4) at Evansville (3-6)
While not the most compelling matchup, this game has the tightest spread of the night. Chattanooga has been favored in its last six games but is just 2-4 against the spread in those games. The Mocs have a trio of talented guards but are shooting just 27.5% from the perimeter, which is concerning since they haven’t played that tough of a schedule. Evansville, meanwhile, is 3-6 against a schedule that has included Ohio State and some quality mid-majors. It’s been tough at times for the Purple Aces. But they’ve been made better by their challenging schedule and have started to play better lately, going 3-1 against the spread in their last four games. They should be able to keep improving as home underdogs against Chattanooga on Thursday.
Pick: Evansville +2
New Mexico State (4-5) at Texas (7-2)
The Longhorns couldn’t handle UConn over the weekend, but this is a good bounce-back game for them. In five games against teams outside of power conferences this season, Texas has won by at least 20 points in four of them. They’re actually 2-2 against the spread when favored by more than 30 points, so covering 20 points shouldn’t be a problem, especially with the way Tre Johnson has shot the ball and the way Arthur Kaluma controls the paint. As for the Aggies, they just beat in-state rival New Mexico to snap a five-game losing streak. That stretch included a 21-point loss to Dayton and defeats at the hands of Pepperdine, Bowling Green, and Abilene Christian. Despite some capable scorers, the Aggies have an unimpressive resume and average more turnovers than assists. That will be a big problem against a team like Texas, allowing the Longhorns to easily cover the 20-point spread.
Texas: Texas -20
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