Iowa Hawkeyes vs Purdue Boilermakers Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Iowa Hawkeyes are unranked but coming off a very impressive season. 
• The Purdue Boilermakers are ranked #2 in the nation and still unbeaten. 

Iowa Hawkeyes vs Purdue Boilermakers Odds

Odds taken from BetMGM

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. #2 Purdue Boilermakers Predictions and Picks

Purdue has the edge in this game, but Iowa also has a good team. Iowa is unranked, but do not let that fool you. Iowa knows how to win and is unbeaten this season. I am Iowa will win, but they will keep it competitive. Both of these teams have high-scoring offenses, but Purdue also has a really strong defense. They held #6 Villanova to 74 points earlier this season.

 Pick:

Purdue beats Iowa 90-78

Why Might the Iowa Hawkeyes Win?

A lot of people are going to count out the Hawkeyes because they are unranked. But, regardless of what happens in this game, I would not be surprised if they become ranked in the next couple of weeks. They are 7-0 and have crushed almost all of their opponents this season. They have scored over 100 points three times and have shown that they can really outplay mediocre teams.

The Hawkeyes beat Virginia 75-74 in their last game. Virginia is also unranked, but they are a tough team to beat. The Hawkeyes have a lot of momentum from that last win and their seven-game winning streak. The problem is their bench is not efficient enough. In the victory against Virginia, the bench only scored 12 points.

If the Iowa bench can increase their productivity and take some of the burden off their starters, the Hawkeyes could win and pull off an upset. However, if the bench does not step up, Iowa will not win.

Why Might the Purdue Boilermakers Win?

Let’s be honest. Purdue will probably win this game. They are unbeaten and averaging over 90 points a game. Iowa is also averaging over 90 points a game but with a much weaker schedule.

After North Carolina, this will be Purdue’s toughest matchup against an unranked team in this young season. If they get complacent and lax on defense, they could lose, and we could have an upset alert. However, if they do not get complacent and Purdue continues to bring the offensive and defensive intensity that they have been bringing all season, they should have no problem winning this game.

For Purdue, it is pretty simple. Play the game that you have been playing all season. Do not get complacent and take Iowa seriously. If Purdue does those things and uses the home fans’ energy to push them, they will win this game easily.

Hawkeyes Key Player: (F) Keegan Murray

This was not a tough call. Keegan Murray is by far the most impactful player on this Iowa squad. The 6’8” sophomore forward is leading his team in scoring (24.6 ppg), rebounds (8.9 RPG), and blocks (2.3 BPG). He is also hitting 61.2% of his shots from the field and 85.7% of his free throws. He is impactful on both sides of the floor and is having a monster season through the first seven games.

Keegan Murray played well in his freshman season, but he was surrounded by a team of stars. As a result, he could not show how good he was. With the departure of those stars, Murray has stepped up and become the best player on his team. He will be facing the incredibly difficult task of leading his team against one of the best teams in the nation. If he does not excel against Purdue, the Hawkeyes do not stand a chance of winning this game. Murray needs to make big plays on both sides of the ball if he wants to keep this game close.

Boilermakers Key Player: (G) Jaden Ivey

This was a tough call to make. Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey are having similarly good seasons, but Jaden Ivey is playing almost nine more minutes a game than Edey. The 6’4” sophomore guard leads his team in minutes per game (27.3), steals per game (1.4), and second on his team in scoring (15.4 PPG).

Jaden Ivey is having the best all-around performance on the Boilermakers. The Indiana native can score, pass, rebound, and plays strong defense. He led Purdue in scoring in their last game with 18 points and has developed into a leader on this team.

If Ivey continues to play well on both sides of the ball, Purdue should have no problems winning this game. However, Purdue might have to worry a little bit if he struggles.

How To Watch Iowa Hawkeyes vs #2 Purdue Boilermakers