Tip Time Preview: Minnesota at Iowa

MINNESOTA (9-9, 1-6) at IOWA (12-6, 3-4)

TIME: 8:00 p.m.

TV: BTN – Kevin Kugler and Shon Morris on the call.   

SERIES: Minnesota leads the all-time series between the two schools, 107-103. Iowa has won six straight in the series and nine of the last ten meetings. Iowa has also won six straight meetings inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena against the Gophers.

THE LINE: Iowa is an 8.5 point favorite.       

THE NUMBERS

OFFENSE: MINNESOTA – 69.2 PPG, 44.3% FG, 32.2% 3 PT FG. IOWA – 88.4 PPG, 50.8% FG, 39.7% 3 PT FG.

DEFENSE: MINNESOTA – 68.8 PPG, 43.2% FG, 34.9% 3 PT FG. IOWA – 78.9 PPG, 47.9% FG, 33.5% 3 PT FG.

MINNESOTA

6-11 forward Dawson Garcia – 19.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

6-2 guard Lu’cye Patterson – 11.3 points and 3.7 assists per game.

6-2 guard Mike Mitchell – 12.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

6-8 forward Parker Fox – 6.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

6-6 guard Femi Odukale – 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

IOWA

6-10 forward Owen Freeman – 16.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

6-3 guard Drew Thelwell – 10.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.

6-7 forward Payton Sandfort – 16.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

6-5 guard Josh Dix – 14.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.  

6-0 guard Brock Harding – 9.6 points and 6.2 assists per game.

PLAYER TO WATCH – Payton Sandfort – Will the Hawkeyes leader be in uniform on Tuesday night? Sandfort sat a good portion of the game on Friday night with a leg and then a shoulder injury. Fran McCaffery said on Monday that Sandfort had not practice since they returned home. If he can’t go, Ladji Dembele would likely start, but the question who will make up for the loss of offense on the court?

MATCH-UP TO WATCH – Dawson Garcia vs. Owen Freeman – Garcia is a veteran big man and the Gophers best player. He is coming off willing his team to win over Michigan and plays with a lot of confidence. Freeman will be looking to limit Garcia on the glass and challenge him on both ends of the floor.

STATS AND NOTES

Iowa forward Payton Sandfort is listed as questionable for this game. He has not practiced the two days since returning from the west coast trip.

The Hawkeyes have scored 80+ points in 11 of the last 12 games. Iowa has scored 80+ in all but three games this season. Iowa is leading the Big Ten and is second nationally, averaging 88.5 points per game. The team’s 50.8% field goal percentage is second-best in the league (sixth in country).

The Hawkeyes have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in nine victories and better than 60 percent three times, including a season-best 62.7 percent in the win over New Orleans on Dec. 15. The Hawkeyes are 8-1 when shooting at least 50 percent from the field.

Payton Sandfort was selected to the preseason All Big Ten team. He was also one of 20 players selected to the preseason Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Watch List. Sandfort is also on the Wooden Award Watch List. In the last three second halves Payton Sandfort has scored 66 points.

Owen Freeman was Co-Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten last season. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week nine times last season. He had five double-double last season. Freeman scored a career high 23 points on Tuesday night against USC. It was his third 20 point game of the season.

The Moline Boys — sophomores Owen Freeman and Brock Harding — both notched double-doubles in the win over the Hoosiers. Freeman had 16 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and three steals, while Harding had 10 points and 10 assists

Pryce Sandfort scored a career best 22 points in Iowa’s win over Southern. Payton and Pryce Sandfort have combined to make 80 3-point field goals in Iowa’s first nine games.

Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (19.4, 3rd in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.83, 5th in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in eight games.

Iowa is ranked 55^th in KenPom.com. Minnesota is ranked 100^th by KenPom.com. His prediction for the game is Iowa to win 80-70. Iowa is 6-1 this season in games played on BTN. Overall, Iowa is 124-96 in games played on BTN during the McCaffery era. Iowa is 5-1this season in games played on Tuesday. Iowa is 47-28 in games played on a Tuesday during the McCaffery era.

THE PICK

After dropping a pair of games last week in Los Angeles, Iowa is back home and looking to get back on track and in the win column. The Hawkeyes need to get a pair of victories this week and it starts with facing Minnesota on Tuesday night.

The Gophers picked up their first conference win last week when they shocked Michigan in overtime. In their three road conference games this season they have lost all of them and a pair by double digits. The average margin of defeat in those three games is 12 points.

For Iowa this is about getting right on defense. The last time the Hawkeyes were at home they held Indiana to just 60 points and won by 25. The road vs. home splits on defense for Iowa is stark, but I would expect a prideful effort from the Hawkeyes on the defensive side of the ball.

Rebounding is also something to watch, as it has been all season for the Hawkeyes. Iowa is upside down by five rebounds overall this season and in conference games they are being out-rebounded by nearly ten boards per game. Iowa has to figure out a way keep their opponents off the glass on both ends of the floor.

Third thing to watch is who steps up if Payton Sandfort is out or even if he plays, if he is limited. The most likely candidate shares the same last name, Pryce Sandfort. He’s one of the players that has earned the trust of Fran McCaffery and I suspect he will get plenty of opportunities if his older brother is sidelined.

I think this team has been stung a bit by the defensive questions that have come their way and I suspect we will see a very spirited effort from the players in black and gold. They know that if they are going to be a serious contender for the NCAA Tournament that the road there begins on Tuesday night. IOWA 82 MINNESOTA 70.