Iowa seems to have found its footing with a pair of solid wins in the past week, but another tough road test lies ahead on Thursday.
The No. 11 Hawkeyes travel to No. 21 Wisconsin as both teams jockey for a top-four spot in the Big Ten Conference standings. ESPN will carry the 6 p.m. tip from Madison.
Early lines at DraftKings place the Hawkeyes at +2 against the Badgers. Iowa sports betting fans can stay on top of the live odds at PlayIA.com.
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Iowa vs. Wisconsin odds
The Hawkeyes (15-6, 9-5) slumped with four losses in six games but have since rebounded for a pair of convincing wins.
They cruised past then-No. 25 Rutgers 79-66 on Feb. 10. Iowa followed that up with a nearly unheard of 30-point win over Michigan State at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Iowa has struggled to make stops at times this season, but coach Fran McCaffery saw progress in the 88-58 win Sunday over the Spartans:
“I thought to a man defensively (Sunday), we really competed. We didn’t give up as many opportunities in transition and that starts with your offensive execution and productivity. The defense has been a lot better, and, obviously, hopefully, that will continue.”
Wisconsin has alternated wins and losses in its eight games since Jan. 20. They fell to No. 3 Michigan 67-59 on Sunday. The Badgers had a 14-point lead at one point, but the Wolverines scored the game’s final eight points to seal the win.
Badger coach Greg Gard told reporters Michigan’s offensive rebounding hurt the team’s chances for an upset over the weekend:
“That was the backbreaker (Sunday). You can’t give up those types of offensive rebounds at crucial times.”
Thursday’s Texas vs. Iowa State game? All bets are off
Iowa State was scheduled to host No. 12 Texas, but Thursday’s game was postponed due to the winter storm in Texas. No. 9 Oklahoma is scheduled to visit Ames on Saturday. ESPN2 is scheduled to carry the 5 p.m. contest.
