Iowa vs Auburn Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 16 NCAA Tournament Game (Back the Over in Birmingham)

Iowa vs Auburn Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 16 NCAA Tournament Game (Back the Over in Birmingham)

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Iowa vs Auburn Game Info

  • 2022-23 NCAA Tournament Game
  • Iowa (19-13) vs. Auburn (20-12)
  • Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023
  • Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Legacy Arena at BJCC -- Birmingham, Alabama
  • Coverage: TNT

The 2023 NCAA Tournament continues on Thursday with a great Round of 64 matchup between the No. 9 Auburn Tigers and No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes. Auburn is back in the Big Dance for the fourth time in the last five seasons, while Iowa is making its sixth appearance in the last eight NCAA Tournaments.

Auburn is coming off a 76-73 loss to Arkansas in the SEC Tournament, which was its seventh loss in its last 10 games. Meanwhile, Iowa fell short in a 73-69 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament but has still won seven of its last 12 games.

Which team will advance with a win on Thursday night? Let's explore.

Iowa vs Auburn Odds & Spread

Iowa enters this contest as a slight favorite on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:50 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 152.5 points, which is above average compared to Thursday's projected totals.

Iowa vs Auburn Betting Trends

  • Iowa has 17 wins in 32 games against the spread this season.
  • Against the spread as 0.5-point favorites or more, the Hawkeyes are 14-11.
  • Iowa has seen 18 of its 32 games go over the point total.
  • Auburn has 15 wins in 32 games against the spread this season.
  • The Tigers are 3-4 as 0.5-point underdogs or more.
  • This season, 19 of Auburn's 32 games have hit the over.
Iowa Rank Iowa AVG Auburn AVG Auburn Rank
18th 80.2 Points Scored 72.7 155th
299th 74.4 Points Allowed 67.1 90th
69th 33.6 Rebounds 32.8 112th
35th 10.4 Off. Rebounds 9.8 69th
92nd 8.1 3pt Made 6.5 277th
12th 16.6 Assists 14.2 95th
16th 9.6 Turnovers 11.9 185th

Iowa vs Auburn Prediction & Pick

The NCAA Tournament does not feature home-court advantage due to the impact that it makes on the game. However, this game is being played in Birmingham, which is only about 100 miles away from the campus of the Auburn Tigers. It's safe to say the crowd will not be favoring the Hawkeyes.

Iowa does enter this game with a clear edge at the free throw line, though. The Hawkeyes average 20.4 free throw attempts per game (No. 67 in NCAA) as they constantly draw contact. Auburn has been undisciplined on defense, giving up 22.1 opponent free throws per contest (No. 338 in NCAA).

Give me the Hawkeyes in a game that is likely decided in the final few minutes on Thursday night.

Final Score Prediction: Iowa: 80 | Auburn: 77

Iowa vs Auburn Best Bet

There's a lot to like about this game turning into a back-and-forth offensive shootout. Iowa ranks ninth in offensive efficiency this year and is averaging 80.2 points per game (No. 14 in NCAA). Auburn is shooting 48.0% over its last three games and finds itself in a paced-up spot on Thursday night.

The total has hit the over in four of the Tigers' last five games overall as well as 13 of the Hawkeyes' last 19 games overall. The over has also cashed in 14 of Auburn's last 17 games in March and in five of its last six games against a Big Ten opponent. Trust the trends and root for points in this contest.

Bet: Over 152.5 Points (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.