Iowa vs. Michigan Betting Preview: Point Spread Prediction

Iowa Hawkeyes (7-1 SU, 3-5 ATS) vs. Michigan Wolverines (7-1 SU, 6-2 ATS)

When: Saturday, December 7th, 2:00 PM (ET)

Where: Crisler Center, MI, Ann Arbor

TV: FS1

Point Spread: IOWA +8.5/MICH -8.5

Total: 158

Money Line: Iowa Hawkeyes +291/-416

Notable Injuries

Hawkeyes

• Seydou Traore (Questionable) Undisclosed
• Cooper Koch (Questionable) Undisclosed

Wolverines

Recent Form

Iowa improved to 7-1 on the season with a narrow 80-79 win over Northwestern on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes, who were -5.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 159, surpassing the O/U line of 148.

Iowa led 45-34 at halftime but allowed Northwestern to score 45 points in the 2nd half while putting up 35 points of their own.

Michigan improved to 7-1 on the season with a 67-64 road win over Wisconsin on Tuesday. Entering the game as +2.5 point underdogs, the Wolverines not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After trailing 32-26 at halftime, Michigan turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Wisconsin 41-32. The game’s total points finished at 131, well below the O/U line of 150.5.

Analysis

Iowa’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their latest game, putting up 80 points while shooting 54.5% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 61.8%, thanks in part to their 65.6% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they hit 9 of 23 shots, good for 39.1%.

Josh Dix led the way with 22 points, while Brooks Barnhizer added 21 points and ten rebounds. Payton Sandfort and Ty Berry each contributed 20 points, with Berry knocking down five threes at a 55.6% clip. Brock Harding dished out eight assists to go along with his 12 points.

Iowa’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 79 points on 54% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to hit 65% of their two-point attempts, going 21/32 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Iowa’s defense conceded 9/23 shooting, with their opponent hitting 39% from deep. They also sent them to the line 19 times, where they made 11 free throws.

In their recent game, Michigan’s offense scored 67 points, shooting 39% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.1%, with a 50% success rate on two-point attempts (17/34) and just 24% from beyond the arc (6/25). They also hit 71.4% of their free throws, going 15-for-21.

Vladislav Goldin led the way with 24 points, shooting 56.2% overall. Danny Wolf added 20 points, hitting 63.6% of his shots and 50% from three-point range (2/4). John Tonje contributed 18 points, connecting on 60% of his threes (3/5), while John Blackwell scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Michigan’s defense was strong, giving up just 64 points while holding their opponent to 34% shooting from the field. They allowed 22 made field goals on 64 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Michigan’s defense limited their opponent to 6 threes on 27 attempts, a 22% shooting percentage. They also sent them to the line 19 times, where they made 14 free throws.

Betting Trends

• When looking at their past ten road matchups, Iowa has an ATS record of 4-6 while averaging 79 per game. The team went 4-6 overall in these games.
• Through their last ten home games, Michigan has an ATS record of just 3-7. However, their overall record was 3-7 while averaging 64 points per game.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Hawkeyes have a straight-up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-3.
• Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Wolverines have a straight-up record of 7-3. But their mark vs the spread was just 6-4.

Joe’s Pick To Cover The Spread

Michigan is coming off a big road win over Wisconsin this week, while Iowa squeaked past Northwestern. Both teams have 7-1 records as they head into their 2nd game within the Big 10. Although Michigan has some serious momentum heading into this one, Big 10 games tend to be played tight, and I don’t see the Wolverines running away with it. I like Iowa to cover at +8.5 this afternoon in Ann Arbor.