March Madness officially has begun. Saturday, we get to see one team’s NCAA Tournament debut. The (2) Iowa Hawkeyes (21-8) will face the (15) Grand Canyon Antelopes (17-6) at 6:25 p.m. ET in Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Below, we analyze the Iowa-Grand Canyon odds and lines, with March Madness NCAA Tournament picks and predictions.
Iowa comes in as a two seed with one of the nation’s best scoring attacks. The Hawkeyes are No. 6 in scoring in the nation, averaging 83.8 points per game. They lead the nation with 19.1 assists per game and are led by senior C Luka Garza, who averages 23.7 points and 8.8 rebounds game.
Grand Canyon makes its NCAA Tournament debut after winning the WAC in head coach Bryce Drew’s first year. The Antelopes have size up front with 7-0 senior C Asbjorn Midtgaard and 6-10 senior C/PF Alessandro Lever, and are the eighth-best rebounding team in the nation. They had the nation’s second-best field-goal defense, allowing only 37.7% from the field and 61.1 points per game, ninth best in the country.
Iowa vs. Grand Canyon: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 5:40 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Iowa -1600 (bet $1,600 to win $100) | Grand Canyon +850 (bet $100 to win $850)
- Against the spread/ATS: Iowa -14.5 (-110) | Grand Canyon +14.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 144.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Iowa vs. Grand Canyon: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Iowa 72, Grand Canyon 62
Money line (ML)
Grand Canyon’s schedule in the WAC doesn’t do much to prepare it for Iowa. The Antelopes have never played a game as big as this. The Antelopes don’t have much of a chance as 15-seeds have a combined 8-132 all-time record against the No. 2 seed. With Iowa’s overwhelming line at -1600, there is no reason to make a money line bet. PASS.
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Against the spread (ATS)
Here is where it gets fun. GCU is 15-5 ATS overall and 4-0 ATS in neutral sites, while Iowa is only 15-13-1 ATS. Grand Canyon’s size and defense will give Iowa trouble and will slow the game enough to keep the score relatively close. The Antelopes went 3-0 ATS against Nevada, Arizona State and Colorado. The first round is where magical upsets happen. Grand Canyon will threaten but falter. However, Iowa won’t blow GCU out. Take GRAND CANYON +14.5 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
At 144.5 points, this total is set high. Iowa scores a ton, but Grand Canyon slows the game down. The Antelopes went 6-14 O/U this season, while the Hawkeyes were only 14-15 O/U. In seven combined games between the two teams at neutral sites, only two contests went Over the total. Take UNDER 144.5 (-105).
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