College Hoops Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Iowa State Cyclones – Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024

The Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series is coming up soon, which features the third-ranked Iowa State Cyclones (7-1) and Iowa Hawkeyes (7-2) battling it out on Thursday, December 12 at 7:30 PM ET. This battle will take place at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, where the Cyclones are favored with a point spread at -6.5 (+100).

Iowa State Cyclones Betting Preview

The Cyclones are seeking their fifth consecutive win and have a tough road matchup soon. Their latest success was a 100-58 blowout over the Jackson State Tigers.

With a 46-24 lead at the half, the Cyclones showed no mercy even after the half. Curtis Jones led the offense in points scored at 19 and he shot 50.0 percent from the field. Joshua Jefferson also stood out with his 10 points and 13 rebounds.

They were able to connect on 50.7 percent shooting for the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc. As for turnovers, they only had seven but forced the Tigers to have 24.

The Cyclones are getting up 87.8 points while allowing the defense to average 64.8. With a 23-point difference, they have a lot of breathing room.

Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview

The Hawkeyes just snapped their two-game win streak with a recent 85-83 defeat against the Michigan Wolverines. This was a close game throughout, and the Hawkeyes had a slight lead up until the second half.

Payton Sandfort led them with 19 points and four assists. Josh Dixon was not far behind with 16 points. Together, these two will need to have an incredible offensive performance to get the team moving in the right direction.

One big area of concern is rebounding, as they grabbed 30 rebounds and allowed the Wolverines to have 45. They will need to clean up the boards if they want to have more opportunities to get points. Second chance points are crucial to their chances at success, but they will need to be aggressive in getting this accomplished.

The Hawkeyes have been compiling 86.1 points a game and are allowing their opponents to get 73.3 a game, which shows they have a healthy spread when winning. However, this margin is closer than what the Cyclones had to average.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie showcases appealing Iowa State Cyclones vs. Iowa Hawkeyes betting odds, with the Cyclones favored by 6.5-points. Market insights are suggesting the Cyclones have a 68.8 percent chance of winning.

The Hawkeyes make an appealing case at home, where they have not lost at all this season. Comparing the two rosters, you can see that the Cyclones are better at scoring and defending. Look for the Cyclones to get it done to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Iowa State Cyclones -6.5 (-110)