A lot of the discourse this week will likely revolve around the location of this game in Birmingham, Ala., where the crowd will likely very heavily favor Auburn over Iowa. The Hawkeyes have struggled on the road this season, possessing a 4-7 record, and will need to overcome the tough draw to win this matchup.
Both of these teams have been middle-of-the-road against the spread this season, with Iowa posting a 17-14-1 record and the Tigers coming in at 15-16-1. The Iowa Hawkeyes led the Big Ten in scoring by averaging 78.4 points per game and will need to continue with that high pace in the tournament.
Read on for my Iowa vs Auburn prediction and best bets.
Iowa vs Auburn Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Iowa vs Auburn were used from DraftKings Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 14.
- Moneyline: Auburn (-115) | Iowa (-105)
- Spread: Auburn -1 (-110) | Iowa +1 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 152.5 (-110) | Under 152.5 (-110)
Iowa vs Auburn Best Bet
Keep reading for more Iowa vs Auburn betting tips.
Iowa vs Auburn Prediction
Auburn 80, Iowa 77
Both of these teams were one-and-dones in their conference tournaments, so they will need to build some momentum quickly to make a deep run in this tournament. Auburn has the worse recent form, but there probably isn’t a better matchup they could have to turn things around on the offensive side of the ball than Iowa.
Iowa has a couple advantages in this matchup, and its offense is powered by its fast pace. They are 18th in the nation, averaging 80.2 points per game, 35th in offensive rebounds, and 16th with only 9.8 turnovers.
They want to get out and run, making Auburn play at a pace they are not comfortable with.
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Iowa vs Auburn Best Bets
Iowa Team Total Over 76.5 (-110) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.5 Units
I like this prop because whether or not Iowa actually wins this game, their terrible defense is going to put them in a position to score points. They could catch fire from three once again or be forced to fight tooth and nail to get back into this game because they sacrificed so many points on the other end.
As we know, free-throw shooting is a big deal, and the Hawkeyes have an edge here. The Hawkeyes average 20.4 free-throw attempts per game (No. 67 in the NCAA), while Auburn is giving up 22.1 opponent free throws per contest (No. 338 in the NCAA).
Over 151.5 Total Points (-115) | FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.5 Units
The Tigers are scoring five more points at home this season than they are on the road, which is a good sign considering the location of this matchup. Combine that with the fact that Iowa scores 101.3 points per 100 possessions on offense (18th) and allows 94 points per 100 possessions on defense (275th), this leads me to believe the Over is in play.
Iowa’s defense ranks 302nd in points allowed per game and 349th in opponent field goal percentage, so Auburn should be able to score at will against this very weak defense.
Iowa vs Auburn Same Game Parlay
Iowa vs Auburn Parlay (+160) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.25 Units
- Auburn ML (-120)
- Both Teams TT Over 65.5 (-275)
This continues along the game script of a high-scoring matchup, with Auburn slightly pulling ahead in the end. This would be a great game to target some Player Prop Overs, but books don’t have those listings available at the moment.
I’m expecting a very entertaining high-paced matchup in this one.
