Iowa Hawkeyes Host Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State Going for 13th Straight Win

The Michigan State Spartans and the Iowa Hawkeyes will meet on Thursday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Michigan State looks to extend its winning streak to 13 tonight. The No. 5 Spartans have won a school-record 20 straight regular-season Big Ten contests. They are coming off a 69-55 victory over No. 16 Maryland on Monday. The No. 21 Hawkeyes are winners of five in a row after they routed Illinois 95-71 on Sunday.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 LINE: Michigan State -5.5; O/U: 156.5.

Michigan State won the first matchup this season 90-68 in December. Forward Nick Ward, who was shut out in the win over Maryland for the first time in his career, leading the way with a 10-for-10 shooting effort and 26 points. Guard Cassius Winston is the leader for the Spartans in scoring (18 points) and assists (7.3). He is helping to fill the void of third-leading scorer Joshua Langford's absence with an ankle injury for the last six contests.

The Hawkeyes' top two scorers are forwards Tyler Cook (16.5 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Luka Garza (13.9, 4.9). They would like a little payback against the Spartans after they combined for 22 points, 17 rebounds and seven fouls in the last contest. That is compared to Ward and Kenny Goins' combined 45 points and 23 rebounds. Revenge could depend on the outside shooting of Joe Wieskamp (11.9 points, 34 3-pointers) and Jordan Bohannon (11.2, 43). It will be tough up against the tough Michigan State defense, which held Iowa to 32.8 percent shooting in the first matchup.

This, That, and a Dart Throw

The Spartans are 17-2 overall and 8-0 in the Big Ten. Every good team needs a "glue guy". That is the player on the court who does all the little things. Goins is becoming known for more than just those attributes as he has big game after big game. Iowa knows about that after the senior went for 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in the earlier meeting. Goins is coming off a 14-point, 12-rebound, three-steal and two-block effort in the win over Maryland. Goins' feel for the Spartans' scheme on both ends of the floor gives coach Tom Izzo another leader on the floor who makes plays in every contest.

The http://handicappershideaway.com/?s=Iowa+HawkeyesHawkeyes are 16-3 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten. Wieskamp has caught fire lately. He has scored in double figures in nine of the last 10 contests. That definitely makes Iowa a much more dangerous team to Big Ten foes. The 6-6 guard was perfect against Illinois on Sunday. He matched his career high of 24 points, by hitting 8-of-8 from the field. He was 6-of-6 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. That kind of accuracy has helped open things up inside for Cook and Garza. It also has to make defenders think twice about leaving him to cover Iowa's other shooters. Iowa ranked first in the country in free throws made (395) entering Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 88, Iowa 84

Big Ten Basketball Betting Odds & Trends

Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Michigan State's last 7 games
Michigan State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Michigan State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Michigan State is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Iowa
Michigan State is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing Iowa
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Michigan State's last 7 games when playing Iowa
Michigan State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Iowa's last 6 games
Iowa is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Iowa is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Iowa's last 7 games at home
Iowa is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Michigan State
Iowa is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games when playing Michigan State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Iowa's last 7 games when playing Michigan State
Iowa is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Michigan State

Next up:
Michigan State at Purdue Sunday, January 27
Iowa at Minnesota Sunday, January 27

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