The No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers host the Iowa Hawkeyes in college hoops action on Wednesday night.
The Boilermakers have been an offensive juggernaut, but my Iowa vs. Purdue predictions are betting on the Hawkeyes to slow them down.
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Here are my best free college basketball picks for this Big Ten showdown on January 14.
Iowa vs Purdue prediction
Iowa vs Purdue best bet: Iowa +10.5 (-115)
The Iowa Hawkeyes fell out of the Top 25 after dropping back-to-back games last week. That said, both of those defeats were close, with one coming against No. 13 Illinois.
This school has completely changed it’s style under new head coach Ben McCollum, playing lockdown defense while slowing the pace to a crawl.
The Hawkeyes are 20th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom while ranking 339th in adjusted tempo. They don’t put up many points, but have an efficient offense with good ball movement and strong shooting splits.
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The Purdue Boilermakers are national title contenders but are coming off back-to-back games where they failed to cover as big faves against conference foes. They have an elite offense but also prefer to play slow, ranking 287th in adjusted tempo.
This game should have an extremely slow pace, which will lead to fewer possessions and make it tough for Purdue to cover a double-digit spread.
Iowa vs Purdue same-game parlay
In many games with spreads sitting in this range, backing the underdog on the spread and betting the favorite on the moneyline makes sense in an SGP.
The Boilermakers are 4-1 in Quad 1 games, while the Hawkeyes are 0-3. Purdue is a big favorite for good reason, and should win at home even if it doesn’t cover.
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Bennett Stirtz is Iowa’s only reliable scorer, which leads to plenty of minutes and shot attempts. Last year’s MVC Player of the Year is averaging 17.6 ppg on 48/39/82 shooting splits.
He has dropped 20+ points in three of his last four, and Purdue’s backcourt isn’t athletic or physical enough to give him problems.
Iowa vs Purdue SGP
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Bennett Stirtz Over 15.5 points
Our beyond the arc SGP: Handcuffed Cluff
Purdue center Oscar Cluff has grabbed fewer than 7.5 boards in seven of his last 10 games, and the sluggish pace of today’s contest should result in fewer available rebounds.
Iowa vs Purdue SGP
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Bennett Stirtz Over 15.5 points
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Oscar Cluff Under 7.5 rebounds
Iowa vs Purdue odds
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Spread: Iowa +10.5 | Purdue -10.5
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Moneyline: Iowa +475 | Purdue -650
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Over/Under: Over 143.5 | Under 143.5
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Iowa vs Purdue betting trend to know
The Hawkeyes are 11-5 ATS this season. Find more college basketball betting trends for Iowa vs. Purdue.
How to watch Iowa vs Purdue
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Location |
Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, IN |
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Date |
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 |
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Tip-off |
6:30 p.m. ET |
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TV |
BTN |
Iowa vs Purdue key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
