Utah Utes vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024
Preview and Prediction
Despite never playing in South Dakota, the Utah basketball team is quite familiar with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Last season, the Utes faced off against the Big Ten Conference team in the second round of the NIT and emerged victorious with a score of 91-82.
This Saturday, Utah (8-2) will once again take on Iowa (8-3) in a neutral-site rematch in Sioux Falls, S.D.
See also:
Louisiana dismisses veteran coach Bob Marlin amid team shakeup
See also:
"Recap of the Best 25: No. 14 Oklahoma Edges Out No. 24 Michigan with 4-Point Shot"
According to Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, the upcoming game will be a tough one. He stated, "We played them last year in the NIT a really good team, a really good program, veteran guys. It should be a really good atmosphere up there."
After splitting their first two Big Ten games, Iowa is taking a brief break from conference action. Meanwhile, the Utes are wrapping up their nonconference schedule with their first-ever visit to South Dakota.
As they prepare for their first season in the competitive Big 12, Utah sees this matchup against a Quad 1 opponent as an important one.
According to Utah coach Craig Smith, "We told our guys it gets real now. Obviously, there's a real sense of urgency. There's a lot of time to make up ground, but it's a big game."
Mason Madsen, who transferred to Utah from Cincinnati and Boston College, expressed his focus on making it to the NCAA Tournament. This is something that has eluded him in the past.
He stated, "This is my last year. I would come to terms with it, but I think it will be a regret if I don't ever make the tournament. I'll do whatever it takes to win."
In Tuesday's 89-59 victory over Florida A&M, Madsen scored 15 points off the bench with five 3-pointers.
See also:
"Recap of the Top 25: No. 25 South Carolina Defeats Clemson in Overtime"
See also:
"Shoulder Injury Sidelines Auburn's Johni Broome, Rising Star"
Saturday's game could potentially turn into a high-scoring affair, as both teams have impressive offensive stats. Iowa is averaging 87.2 points per game, while Utah is close behind with an average of 86.6 points per game. Both teams rank in the top 15 in the nation in scoring.
Leading the way for Utah is Gabe Madsen, who averages 19.8 points per game. His twin brother Mason Madsen contributes an average of 11.1 points per game.
On the other side, Iowa's offense is led by Owen Freeman (17.2 ppg), Payton Sandfort (16.0 ppg), and Josh Dix (13.4 ppg).