Iowa at Maryland college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Iowa Hawkeyes at Maryland Terrapins sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and best bets

The Iowa Hawkeyes (15-5) visit the Maryland Terrapins (16-4) Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET in a Big Ten battle at Xfinity Center in College Park, MD. We analyze the Iowa-Maryland odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Iowa at Maryland: Three things you need to know

  1. Iowa beat Maryland by 18 points (67-49) in Iowa City Jan. 10. The 18th-ranked team in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll has bombed its way to four straight victories since. Over the five-game win streak, Iowa has shot 37.7% from beyond the 3-point arc.
  2. No. 15 Maryland allowed an aggregate 52% field-goal accuracy mark (and a 46% mark from 3-point-land) over its last two games, both losses on the road. That’s part of a trend that has seen the Terrapins defense struggle away from home. But recent home games? Maryland has held foes to 36%, 31% and 36%, respectively, over its last three contests in College Park.
  3. Junior C Luka Garza scored 21 points against the Terps when Iowa and Maryland last met. He has scored 20-plus in four straight games since and has averaged 26 points per game over the five-game span. Garza has had some big road games this season and will be a key performer Thursday.

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Iowa at Maryland: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Maryland 73, Iowa 67

Moneyline (ML)

PASS. Iowa (+200) is the lean, but its a line bracketed by a juice cushion without much value.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Iowa is 4-0-2 against the spread over its last six games against teams playing .600 basketball. Over the last five meetings between these two programs, the underdog is 4-1.

The Hawkeyes carry in solid momentum, and the IOWA (+5.5, -106) line is a slight lean. But Maryland has a strong home-court advantage. In a game where the Under is advisable (see below), a line-watch for a +6 would be a wise move. If it’s not there, move on.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Under is 4-0 in the Hawkeyes’ last four games as a road favorite, 6-2 in Iowa’s last eight vs. winning teams,  5-1 in the Terrapins’ last six home games and 6-2 in Maryland’s last eight games as an underdog.

This is a fast-paced team (Iowa) against one wanting to slow things down (Maryland). Including their Jan. 10 game against the Terps, the Under has prevailed the last three times Iowa played a slow-down team. The UNDER 145.5 (-110) has value — enough so for a moderate play.

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