The Drake Bulldogs (24-3, 14-3 Missouri Valley) face the Northern Iowa Panthers (19-9, 13-4) Sunday. Tip-off from the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls is at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the Drake vs. Northern Iowa odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
Drake leads Northern Iowa by a game in the Missouri Valley. The Bulldogs have won 12 of their last 13 games and are coming off a 74-57 win as 10-point favorites over visiting UIC Wednesday. G Bennet Stirtz leads the team with 18.7 points and 6.1 assists per game. His 31 points Wednesday was his 14th game this season scoring at least 20.
The Panthers are riding an 8-game winning streak, coming off an 82-75 road win over Belmont as 1-point underdogs Wednesday. G Tytan Anderson paces UNI in scoring (15.4 per game) and rebounding (6.6) this season.
Drake won the first meeting this season (Jan. 29), covering as a 7.5-point home favorite in a 66-52 victory. Stirtz scored 20 points to lead the Bulldogs.
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Drake at Northern Iowa odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:20 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Drake -102 (bet $102 to win $100) | Northern Iowa -118 (bet $118 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Drake +1.5 (-115) | Northern Iowa -1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 125.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Drake at Northern Iowa picks and predictions
Prediction
Drake 75, Northern Iowa 70
Moneyline
Drake blew out Northern Iowa in the Jan. 29 meeting and is a stellar 7-1 on the road this season. But UNI’s last conference home loss was Jan. 8 to Murray State.
Drake has been the superior team all season.
But with the opportunity to take points with Drake — it hasn’t been an underdog since covering +1.5 in a 64-57 win at Bradley Jan. 8 — bet the spread instead of the ML.
PASS.
Against the spread
Drake is 12-1 straight up in its last 13 games, and in the sole loss, which was by just 2 points, the Bulldogs had the chance to force OT or win on the final possession. Drake is also 5-0 ATS as an underdog this season.
If you think the Panthers will win, playing them on the ML is the safer bet, but with Drake undefeated ATS as an underdog, expect it to cover the 1.5-point spread.
BET DRAKE +1.5 (-115).
Over/Under
The first meeting had a total of only 118.
Northern Iowa has not had a game since then finish with a total lower than this game’s projection.
Including its win over UNI, Drake has had just 3 games in its last 7 not reach 126 total points.
BET OVER 125.5 (-110).
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