SI Gambling analyst Roy Larking breaks down the top Big Ten and Big 12 games of the night on his Tuesday college basketball betting card.
Purdue at No. 4 Iowa
Following their first lost of the season, Iowa (6-1) looks to rebound when they host Purdue (6-2) who are riding a three-game winning streak. Tipoff for the Hawkeyes vs. Boilermakers Big Ten Conference showdown is at 9:00 p.m. ET on December 21 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. After beginning the season on a 6-0 run, Iowa lost 99-88 to No. 1 Gonzaga on Saturday. Iowa played a strong second half, they won it 51-48, but couldn’t erase a 51-37 halftime deficit.
The Hawkeyes loss to the Bulldogs was the first game where they were held under 93 points and the first time they allowed more than 80 points. Prior to that, Iowa outscored their opponents by 603-411 combined margin during their six-game winning streak. That includes an impressive 93-80 win against No.16 ranked North Carolina. Senior center Luka Garza leads the high-powered Hawkeyes' offense as he is averaging 29.3 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Purdue enters this contest on a roll as they have won three straight games. That includes a 67-60 win over previously unbeaten Ohio State (6-1) who ranked No. 20 in the AP Top 25 at the time. The Boilermakers are averaging 74.6 points per game on offense and 65.0 points per game on defense. Guard Eric Hunter Jr. (14.3 PPG) and forward Trevion Williams (13.8 PPG) are the leading scores for Purdue. The Boilermakers have won the last four games against Iowa.
Although Garza garners all the attention in Iowa, the Hawkeyes are also getting quality minutes from guard Joe Wieskamp (15.9 PPG) and forward Jack Nunge (10.6 PPG). Iowa has a deep roster as their starting five from last year all returned this season. Purdue has played solid defense so far this season but this is a big step up against the highest scoring offense in the NCAA. The Boilermakers 150th ranked offense won’t be able to keep pace with Hawkeyes here.
Pick: Iowa Hawkeyes (-7) ATS at DraftKings
Bet on College Basketball All Season at DraftKings
No. 7 West Virginia at No. 3 Kansas
A huge Big 12 Conference showdown features West Virginia (7-1) visiting Kansas (7-1) tonight. Tipoff is slated for 9:00 p.m. ET at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. The Jayhawks are riding a seven-game winning streak while the Mountaineers have won four straight contests. Kansas is 14-5 all-time against West Virginia and the Jayhawks have won the last four meetings. Kansas is 8-0 all-time against the Mountaineers in games played at Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas has won seven straight games since opening their season with a 102-90 loss to No. 1 Gonzaga at the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament. Four of their first eight contests have been against AP Top 25 ranked teams. Following the loss to the Bulldogs, the Jayhawks posted wins against No. 20 Kentucky (65-62) No. 8 Creighton (73-72) and No. 14 Texas Tech (58-57) in their last match on December 17th. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight home games.
West Virginia opened their season with three straight wins against unranked opponents. The Mountaineers lone defeat was also against Gonzaga as they lost 87-82 to the Bulldogs in the Jimmy V Classic. They rebounded with four straight wins including an 87-71 victory against No. 19 Richmond. The Mountaineers have held opponents to 71 or fewer points during their seven wins. Kansas swept West Virginia last season as they won 60-53 at home and 58-49 on the road.
These teams are evenly matched from a pure numbers standpoint. Kansas is averaging 78.6 points per game on offense and West Virginia has scored 76.0 PPG. The Jayhawks have allowed 66.3 PPG on defense while the Mountaineers have given up 68.1 PPG. The Kansas depth will be an issue for West Virginia as five different players have led the Jayhawks in scoring during their first eight games. Bet on Kansas to cover the point spread and consider UNDER on the game total.
Pick: Kansas Jayhawks (-2) ATS at DraftKings
2020-21 NCAA Basketball Betting Record: 4-4 ATS
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