Free NCAA Hoops Pick: #12 Richmond vs. #5 Iowa CBB Odds
Looking for Richmond Spiders vs. Iowa Hawkeyes NCAA basketball free picks & CBB odds? CBB betting sees the Spiders taking on the Hawkeyes on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NCAA Tournament matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NCAA basketball predictions like this Spiders Hawkeyes matchup.
2022 NCAA Basketball Handicapping
(23-12) #12 Richmond Spiders vs. #5 Iowa Hawkeyes (26-9)
Date: Thursday, March 17, 2022
Time: 3:10 PM ET
Venue: KeyBank Center
CBB Moneyline Odds: Richmond +450 / Iowa -550
CBB Betting ATS Odds: Spiders +10.5 / Hawkeyes -10.5 (Bet Now!)
CBB Betting Total: O/U 150.5
Fresh off their Big 10 Conference Tournament title, the Iowa Hawkeyes open their NCAA Tournament ledger with a meeting with the Richmond Spiders on Thursday. Both programs will make the trip up to Buffalo, NY for this 12 – 5 seed matchup which always seems to be tricky for the higher seed. Over the years we have seen many 12-seeded teams pull off a big upset in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament over a 5-seed.
One thing the Richmond Spiders have to their advantage is experience as they are one of the older teams in the country with upperclassmen all over the court. By the same token, a 12-seed isn’t exactly screaming with success but this is the time to put the regular season behind them and come together to hopefully pull off a big result during March Madness.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are Big 10 Conference Tournament Champions and that is a result of some outrageous record-setting 3-point shooting. The Hawkeyes set a Big 10 tournament record with 112 points combined with 19 3-pointers against Northwestern and then all they did was go 4 – 0 in 4 days to hoist the hardware!
The line setters are clearly impressed enough to slap a double-digit line on the Hawkeyes to dismantle the Spiders but it might not just be a cakewalk! A neutral site and an experience Richmond team could provide some hassles and we all love a 12 – 5 upset, right?
Richmond Spiders
When the season started, Richmond’s returning experience had them among the favorites to win the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season and/or conference tournament. As the Spiders navigated their non-conference schedule to start the year, Richmond was 3 – 4, and then when Atlantic 10 play began the Spiders began that with a 1 – 3 record. That loss to St. Joseph’s really threw us all for a loop when the A-10 play started but yet here they are, stealing an at-large bid that would not have come had they not won the conference tournament.
Richmond is in no way, shape, or form scared of anything Iowa will be throwing at them because the Hawkeyes are predictable. Not to mention, if you want to buy into the fact that the Big 10 is full of talent because they got 9 teams in the tournament, you are on your own!
The Spiders getting double-digits is fucking hysterical! Outside of that debacle against St. Joes and the 20-point loss to VCU, every loss the Spiders suffered came in a close game. Sure, winning close games is what separates a good team from a bad team but Richmond knew exactly when to turn it on by winning the A-10 tourney. Richmond put some of those issues behind them in the conference tournament by winning 3 of their 4 games by 5 points or less en route to hoisting the trophy.
That kind of ability to turn it on at the right time is key in how teams go during these big tournaments and I see this as a much closer game than the line setters are leading you to believe.
All eyes will be on Tyler Burton who leads this team averaging 16.3 PPG as he was a double-digit scorer in all but 4 games this season. He went off to score 58 points in the 4-day conference tourney and he landed 10 double-doubles during the year as well. Dude can ball and he is one of a few players that will be returning for another year in 2022-23 on a team with seniors all around him.
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes started this season 7 – 0 and then they played 2 Big 10 games as well as rival Iowa State. Losses to Purdue and Illinois led to a 20-point loss to Iowa State and none of us had a clue what this Iowa program would look like come March.
If you haven’t heard of Keegan Murray yet, welcome to planet earth! Those 23.6 PPG he takes in is good for 4th in the nation in scoring and the sophomore also takes in 8.6 boards a night. Murray and his brother Kris are both converting over 40% of their shots from behind the arc as Kris is averaging 9.9 PPG himself. Kris is certainly not at the level of his brother yet, but the two of them will likely be here for a couple of more years to grow their games.
Jordan Bohanon is second on the depth chart scoring 11 PPG but he certainly has had his moments of struggles this season. On the final day of the regular season against Illinois, he scored no points and came out of the game playing only 14 minutes. That output was one of his 12 games that he was held under double-digits during the year and he only put up 7 points in the conference tournament finale.
Living and dying by the 3-ball is a massive concern for me, although one thing Richmond DID NOT DO WELL all season was guarding the arc. On an unfamiliar floor against an experienced team, I just don’t think Iowa is going to walk all over the Spiders to start the tourney.
CBB Betting Trends:
- Spiders are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games as an underdog.
- Spiders are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games.
- Hawkeyes are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 NCAA Tournament games.
- Hawkeyes are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tournament games as a favorite.
Free Richmond Spiders vs. Iowa Hawkeyes NCAAB Betting Prediction:
I have Richmond and those +10.5 points all day and twice on Thursday! The line setters got drunk and thought no one would think Richmond will be giving Iowa a game tonight. Oh, it’s a 12 – 5 game, by the way, and that suits me even better!
4* Free CBB Betting Pick: Richmond +10.5
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