Northwestern (15-13) vs Iowa (15-13)
February 28, 2025 at 09:00 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Northwestern -4.5 — Over/Under: 151.5
The Iowa Hawkeyes are visiting the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday, February 28th at the Welsh-Ryan Arena. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s an Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats Prediction. We will examine:
The Northwestern Wildcats’ recent form and player performance
The Iowa Hawkeyes’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Northwestern Wildcats
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Iowa Hawkeyes
Recent betting trends in games played between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Northwestern Wildcats
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats game
Northwestern Wildcats Preview
The Northwestern Wildcats have a 15-13 record this season and are sitting in 16th place in the Big Ten. The Wildcats are coming off a 75-63 win over Minnesota. The Wildcats are 14-14 against the spread, and 19-8-1 in over/under, while having an 11-4 home record.
Offensively, Northwestern is averaging 73.5 points per game, which ranks 205th in the nation. Defensively, they are allowing 69.4 points per game (100th). The Wildcats shoot 44.4% from the field (202nd) and 33.7% from beyond the arc (188th). The Wildcats shoot 73.3% from the free throw line (130th) and are grabbing 34.2 rebounds per game (248th).
Nick Martinelli leads Northwestern in scoring this season, with an average of 20.1 points and 6 rebounds, while Brooks Barnhizer adds 17.1 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds per game. Northwestern will meet UCLA after this game.
Iowa Hawkeyes Preview
The Iowa Hawkeyes have a 15-13 record this season and are sitting in 15th place in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 61-81 loss to Illinois. The Hawkeyes are 10-17-1 against the spread, and 15-13 in over/under while having a 1-7 road record.
Offensively, Iowa is averaging 83.1 points per game, which is the 18th-best in the nation. Defensively, they allow 79.5 points per game (344th). The Hawkeyes shoot 49% from the field, which is the 14th-best in the nation, and 37.8% from beyond the arc (25th). The Hawkeyes shoot with 70.5% from the free-throw line (238th) and are grabbing 32 rebounds per game (328th)
Owen Freeman leads Iowa in scoring with an average of 16.7 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds, while Payton Sandfort adds 16.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.
Why the Northwestern Wildcats will win
- Northwestern has won 17 of its last 18 night games at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
- Iowa has lost eight of its last nine road games.
- Iowa has lost the first half in each of its last nine road games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Iowa Hawkeyes will win
- Iowa has won 11 of its last 12 games against Northwestern.
- Northwestern has lost three of its last four home games.
- The road team has won the first half in three of Iowa’s last four games.
Total Points Facts
- Twelve of Northwestern’s last 13 games at Welsh-Ryan Arena have produced a total of 151 or fewer points.
- Nine of Iowa’s last 11 road games have produced a total of 157+ points.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats Prediction
Iowa is 9-1 in their last 10 meetings against Northwestern and is 7-2 against the spread in their last 9 meetings. Over is 4-1 in their last 5 meetings, and in their previous meeting earlier this season, Iowa won 80-79 at home, not covering the spread, as the game went over the point total.
In this Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats Prediction, Northwestern is coming as a -4.5 home favorites. Both teams have the exact same record this season, but Northwestern has been excellent at home, while Iowa has been terrible on the road, with just one win in their 8 road games this season. Northwestern is coming off back-to-back wins, while on the other hand, Iowa is struggling lately, as they are 2-6 in their last 8 games and 1-8-1 against the spread in their last 10. I like the hosts to take care of business at home against a struggling opponent, so give me the Northwestern Wildcats and the points at home.