Oklahoma vs Iowa Odds
| Oklahoma Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -115 | 158.5 -110o / -110u | -125 |
| Iowa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -105 | 158.5 -110o / -110u | +105 |
The Rady Children's Invitational gets started on Thursday in San Diego, California, when Iowa and Oklahoma face off. Two teams that have quietly taken care of business this season will look for their first statement win on a neutral floor.
Both teams can really fill it up offensively, and each team has scored 80 or more points in every game this season. Expect a ton of offense, and a little bit of defense mixed in (maybe).
Iowa is the elite of the elite offensively. The Hawkeyes play fast and score at will, and they're currently ranked 13th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. Keegan and Kris Murray are gone, but the Sandfort brothers have stepped in, alongside Ben Krikke and Tony Perkins.
Oklahoma can keep up though, and that's not something that many teams in the country can say. The Sooners have depth and balance — in their most recent win against UT Rio Grande Valley, three different players scored 13 or more points off the bench.
This should make for a wild and entertaining back-and-forth game.
Oklahoma Sooners
Porter Moser has a nice team on paper, led by Otega Oweh, who averages 15 points per game. Moser paired Oweh with Javian McCollum, a transfer guard from Siena who chips in 12 points per game of his own.
The biggest strength of the Oklahoma offense is scoring inside, as the Sooners rank sixth in the nation in field goal percentage. They've been beasts inside, dominating on the offensive boards by rebounding 41% of their missed shots.
They don't beat themselves, they make shots from inside and out and they have depth, balance and versatility. The only critique of Oklahoma is that it hasn't played anybody with a pulse yet.
So, enter the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Like Oklahoma, Iowa can light the nets on fire with made shots. The Hawkeyes play at the sixth-fastest pace in college basketball, which has been a staple of McCaffery's offense for years.
This year's version has less star power than the Luka Garza, Murray twin-led teams of the last five years, but it might have more balance, which may be a good thing. On any given night a different player on Iowa can beat you, and it won't be easy for Oklahoma to shut the Hawkeyes down.
On the defensive end, the problems that fans have come to associate with McCaffery's program still persist. This Iowa team is ranked 109th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, and there isn't much to like from the Hawkeyes on that end.
Opponents consistently generate wide open shots against Iowa, and if you give those shots to Oklahoma, the Sooners will likely capitalize.
Oklahoma vs. Iowa
Betting Pick & Prediction
This one is a pick'em, which makes sense given where both teams are ranked and how they stack up in the metrics.
While both offenses stack up pretty evenly, the Oklahoma defense should be the difference.
I like the Sooners to win.
Pick: Oklahoma -111
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