The No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes (8-2) put their six-game winning streak on the line when they clash against the Western Carolina Catamounts (3-9) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 18, 2018.
Western Carolina Catamounts vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Free Prediction
In the Catamounts’ last contest, they were dismantled by the Wright State Raiders, 96-73. Getting to the free throw line was one of Wright State’s largest advantages. They had 28 free throw attempts, while Western Carolina had 20. D.J. Myers played well for Western Carolina, putting up 11 points and six rebounds.
The Hawkeyes beat the UMKC Kangaroos in their last matchup, 77-63. One of Iowa’s largest advantages was getting to the charity stripe. They made 38 trips to the line, 26 more than UMKC. With 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Tyler Cook put together a solid performance for Iowa.
Cook has averaged 0 points over the last five games for Iowa.
The high-powered offense of Iowa will square off against the bottom-tier defense of Western Carolina. The Hawkeyes currently rank 41st in offensive efficiency, while the Catamounts are 303rd in defensive efficiency. The Hawkeyes should have the edge on that end of the court.
Western Carolina Catamounts vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Pick
Free Prediction: SU Winner – Iowa, ATS Winner – Western Carolina, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes:
Iowa ranks 13th in blocks allowed per game (2.0) while Western Carolina ranks 158th (4.4).
The Catamounts average 25.9 three pointers per game, which ranks 47th in the country. The Hawkeyes rank 162nd in three pointers allowed per game (23.4).
Iowa ranks 124th in steals per game (6.1) while Western Carolina ranks 188th in steals allowed per game (9.6).
The Catamounts rank 171st in assists per game (12.5) while the Hawkeyes rank 199th in assists allowed per game (15.1).
Bettings Trends:
The Catamounts’ average margin of defeat in their last five games has been 10.2, up from 8.4 for the season.
During their last five games, the Hawkeyes have scored an average of 88.6 points per game (6.5 above their season average) and allowed an average of 72.8 points per game (0.4 below their season average).
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