The Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, WI. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
Wisconsin is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -155. The total is set at 146.5 points.
Here’s my Iowa vs. Wisconsin prediction and college basketball picks for February 22, 2026.
Iowa vs Wisconsin Prediction
My Pick: Wisconsin -2.5
My Iowa vs Wisconsin best bet is on the Badgers to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Iowa vs. Wisconsin Odds
| Iowa Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -105 | 146.5 -115 / -105 | +130 |
| Wisconsin Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -115 | 146.5 -115 / -105 | -155 |
- Iowa vs Wisconsin spread: Wisconsin -2.5
- Iowa vs Wisconsin over/under: 146.5 points
- Iowa vs Wisconsin moneyline: Iowa +130, Wisconsin -155
Iowa vs Wisconsin College Basketball Betting Preview
Iowa Basketball
In one of the biggest transfer portal acquisitions this past offseason, Ben McCollum landed one of the nation’s best scorers in former Division II standout and Drake star Bennett Stirtz.
In Stirtz’s first season in Iowa City, the senior has been lighting it up with over 20 points per contest, doing so while converting on over 50% of his field goal attempts.
Iowa ranks outside the top 140 in total offense, scoring 76 points per game, well below its output of recent years.
However, the Hawkeyes have still been able to maintain its efficiency under McCollum, with its unit ranking 29th in the country, according to KenPom.
Iowa has slowed down its pace considerably this season, with a larger focus on creating efficient shot-taking opportunities and not forcing bad shots early in the shot clock.
In the former Fran McCaffery era, the Hawkeyes' identity was typically that of an offensive powerhouse that really struggled on the other end of the floor.
Under McCollum, there's certainly been a shift in the team’s culture, with the first-year head coach placing far more emphasis on the team’s ability to defend.
The Hawkeyes rank 32nd in the country in defensive efficiency, with McCollum's bunch posting a 99.4 rating in that metric, per KenPom. In 15 seasons under McCaffery, Iowa hadn't once been that efficient defensively.
Alongside Stirtz, Tavion Banks leads an elite perimeter defense that boasts a ton of length and athleticism.
The Hawkeyes' frontcourt is having a stellar year on that end of the floor as well, behind the physicality of its forwards. Alvaro Folgueiras and Cam Manyawu have been extremely effective this season at containing interior scoring.
Wisconsin Basketball
For a team that notoriously plays far better on its home floor, Sunday afternoon’s meeting with the Hawkeyes is a borderline must-win game, since Wisconsin still has to conclude Big Ten play with three outings on the road.
Wisconsin has a largely impressive tournament resume in spite of its eight losses, having defeated the likes of Michigan, Illinois, UCLA and Michigan State.
Nick Boyd (20 PPG) leads a Badgers offense that totals over 83 points per game.
Alongside Boyd, John Blackwell is having a stellar campaign of his own, posting nearly 19 points per game.
The Badgers rank 19th in the country in offensive efficiency, per Haslametrics, and have been unbelievably efficient at the Kohl Center, recording over 87 points per game.
Wisconsin’s frontcourt features junior center Nolan Winter, who's proven to be a very solid two-way player. In his third year with the team, Winter is scoring nearly 14 points per game, along with nine rebounds.
Winter has been a great interior presence on the other end of the floor for a largely less reliable Badgers defense, which barely ranks inside the top 50.
Wisconsin’s seven-footer has been remarkable on the glass and a great rim protector. Its interior size has been a key contributor to some of the team’s big upset victories this season, namely Michigan and Illinois, both of which have massive frontcourts.
Iowa vs. Wisconsin Betting Analysis
While Wisconsin and Iowa rank side-by-side in both their overall and conference standings, the Badgers are undoubtedly in the far better form of the two conference rivals, fresh off top-15 victories over both Michigan State and Illinois.
I feel inclined to back the Badgers in this spot given how dominant Greg Gard’s bunch has been at the Kohl Center over the last decade-plus.
In what is surely a borderline must-win matchup for both teams, I'll be backing Wisconsin to cover the spread.
My Pick: Wisconsin -2.5
