Another conference duel is going to be played in the NCAAB on Sunday, January 29, and here you can take a look at the best Scarlet Knights vs. Hawkeyes betting pick and odds.

Iowa is hoping to avoid the third loss in a row when they welcome Rutgers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes are -3.5 favorites on BetDSI Sportsbook, while the total is set at 141.5 points. These Big Ten rivals have met this season, and the Hawkeyes won 76-65 on the road.

Scarlet Knights completely stopped Penn State in a blowout win

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-6, 14-6-0 ATS) displayed one of their best defensive performances of the season in a 65-45 home win over the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Scarlet Knights won eight of the previous ten games and limited Penn State to 33.3% from the field and 15.4% from downtown, while the hosts were better in free throws (15-5), rebounds (43-26), and assists (13-9).

Junior center Clifford Omoruyi led Rutgers with a double-double of 16 points and game-high ten rebounds along with a game-high three blocks. It was Omoruyi’s eighth double-double of the season and third in a row. Aundre Hyatt chipped in 14 points and four boards off the bench, Paul Mulcahy had 12 points, game-high six assists, and five rebounds, while Caleb McConnell scored ten points, seven boards, and two steals.

Hawkeyes fell short of the Spartans on the road

The Iowa Hawkeyes (12-8, 12-8-0 ATS) were on a four-game winning streak but then went on a two-game road trip on which they suffered a pair of defeats to the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans. Following a big loss to the Buckeyes, the Hawkeyes had a pair of chances to beat the Spartans but both three-point attempts weren’t successful and Iowa lost 63-61. A poor perimeter shooting cost the Hawkeyes in the end as they made just three opposite Michigan State’s eight triples.

Junior guard Ahron Ulis led Iowa with 17 points. Filip Rebraca recorded a double-double of 16 points and game-high 11 rebounds along with a couple of blocks, his eighth double-double of the campaign. Kris Murray had 11 points, eight boards, and two steals. Iowa’s bench scored just six points opposite the Spartans’ 13.

F Josh Ogundele (knee) is out indefinitely, while F Patrick McCaffery (personal) is questionable to face the Scarlet Knights on Sunday.

Trends:

Rutgers:

  • 1-4-1 ATS in the last six Sunday games

Iowa:

  • 5-1 ATS in the last six games overall
  • 7-2 ATS in the last nine games following a straight-up loss

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Pick

Rutgers is in better form than Iowa right now, but the Hawkeyes already beat the Scarlet Knights earlier this month, and I am backing the hosts to get another victory here. Iowa has a top 30 offense that averages 80.7 points per game and even though the Scarlet Knights have the fourth-best defense in the country that allows 57.0 ppg, the Hawkeyes proved that they know how to penetrate through that sturdy D. Iowa will be looking to bounce back from an unlucky defeat to Michigan State, and I am backing them to do it on Sunday.

Pick: Take the Hawkeyes at -2 (-130)

The Total

Iowa is quite efficient offensively at home and is scoring plenty of points; the Hawkeyes scored 80+ points in nine of 11 home games, but they are facing a top 5 defense, so I don’t think the Scarlet Knights will surrender 80+ here. Rutgers, on the other hand, failed to score more than 66 points on the road this season. Under is 5-2 in the Scarlet Knights’ last seven overall; Under is 6-1 in Rutgers’ previous seven road games, while Under is 6-1 in the Scarlet Knights’ last seven road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

Pick: Go Under 143.5 points (-130)