Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between USC and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Iowa 48-32.
If USC keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 11-6 in no time. On the other hand, Iowa will have to make due with a 12-5 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Iowa Hawkeyes @ USC Trojans
Current Records: Iowa 12-4, USC 10-6
How To Watch
- When: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 10:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Galen Center — Los Angeles, California
- TV: Fox Sports 1
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $5.00
What to Know
We’ve got another exciting Big Ten matchup on schedule as the Iowa Hawkeyes and the USC Trojans are set to tip at 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Galen Center. The Hawkeyes know how to get points on the board — the squad has finished with 82 points or more in their past six contests — so hopefully the Trojans like a good challenge.
Iowa will face USC after failing to hit the over/under the oddsmakers set for them on Saturday which, to be fair, was an imposing 166.5 points. Everything went Iowa’s way against Indiana as Iowa made off with an 85-60 win. The Hawkeyes have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven matches by 19 points or more this season.
Iowa got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Payton Sandfort out in front who went 7 for 12 en route to 23 points plus six rebounds. Another player making a difference was Owen Freeman, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Illinois typically has all the answers at home, but on Saturday USC proved too difficult a challenge. They walked away with an 82-72 win over the Fighting Illini. While the oddsmakers failed to call the winner, they nailed the 154 point over/under.
USC’s win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Desmond Claude, who went 12 for 20 en route to 31 points. The team also got some help courtesy of Wesley Yates III, who went 7 for 8 en route to 15 points plus six rebounds.
Iowa’s victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-4. As for USC, their win bumped their record up to 10-6.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as the two teams are some of the highest scoring teams in the league. Iowa hasn’t had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 89.6 points per game (they’re ranked second in scoring overall). However, it’s not like USC struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 76.1. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
Iowa is hoping to beat the odds on Tuesday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss. Those brave souls putting their money on USC against the spread have faith in an upset since their 6-10 ATS record can’t hold a candle to Iowa’s 10-6.
Odds
USC is a slight 2.5-point favorite against Iowa, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line on this game has moved quite a bit since it opened, as it started out with the Hawkeyes as a 1.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are expecting fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 161.5 points.
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