Published Jan 21, 10:20pm ET by
Keith McCarthy - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jan 21, 10:20pm ET
Updated Jan 21, 10:23pm ET
Iowa and Maryland meet in a top-15 battle on Thursday. Iowa holds a share of 1st place in the Big-10 with an undefeated conference record. They will face a challenge on the road against #15 Maryland.
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| Maryland Terrapins | -135 |
| Iowa Hawkeyes | +130 |
Iowa improved to 16-2 overall and 7-0 in Big-10 play following their win over #15 Michigan State. Senior Hannah Stuelke led the way in an impressive performance. She went 10-14, tallying 22 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and a block in an all-around result. The win allowed the Hawkeyes to stay tied with UCLA at the top of the Big-10. Their offense will be put to the test in this game against top-15 Maryland on the road.
The Terrapins have lost three of their last six games, sliding in the Big-10 standings. Their most recent defeat was a 30-point thumping by UCLA, who dominated them on both sides of the ball. Maryland will look to get back on track against #10 Iowa, with their schedule not letting up. Following this clash with the Hawkeyes, they'll face three more ranked teams in their next four games. Top scorer Oluchi Okananwa leads the way.
Home-court advantage is pretty notable in college basketball, giving Maryland the upper hand to an extent. That being said, these two teams have had much different results over the past month. Iowa's 7-0 record in Big-10 played compared to Maryland's 4-3 mark sticks out as an even more notable advantage. Despite being just five spots apart in the rankings, Iowa has been the stronger team overall. Take the Hawkeyes to win here.
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Pick
Iowa Hawkeyes (+130)
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