Iowa Hawkeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Picks and Predictions January 21st 2025

Iowa vs. Minnesota: Big Ten Border Rivalry Breakdown

Iowa is back home in Iowa City on Tuesday to take on Minnesota in a Big Ten battle. Both teams are looking to get some momentum going in this classic rivalry matchup.

Iowa Hawkeyes: Time to Bounce Back

The Hawkeyes (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) are coming off two tough road losses to Southern California and UCLA, but head coach Fran McCaffery is keeping things positive.

Here’s what’s up:

• Injury Watch: Payton Sandfort, their second-leading scorer (16.2 PPG), is questionable with shoulder and leg injuries. Cooper Koch (4.6 PPG) is already ruled out.
• Next Man Up: If Sandfort can’t go, Pryce Sandfort or Ladji Dembele will need to step up.

Owen Freeman, who leads the team with 16.7 PPG, will take charge as Iowa looks to snap their losing streak and extend their dominance over Minnesota—they’ve won six straight in this rivalry.

Minnesota Golden Gophers: Riding Some Momentum

The Golden Gophers (9-9, 1-6 Big Ten) are coming off their best win of the season, a thrilling 84-81 overtime victory over then-No. 20 Michigan.

Here’s who to watch:

• Dawson Garcia: The team’s go-to guy is averaging 19.1 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He’s a problem for any defense.
• Mike Mitchell Jr.: Adds solid support with 12.1 PPG.

Head coach Ben Johnson is seeing progress and cohesion in his squad, which he hopes will carry over into this tough road test.

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What to Watch For

1. Iowa’s Depth: If Payton Sandfort is out, can the Hawkeyes’ bench deliver?
2. Minnesota’s Confidence: The Gophers are coming off a big win—can they keep that energy going?
3. Dawson Garcia vs. Iowa Defense: Stopping Garcia will be a key challenge for Iowa.

How This Could Play Out

With home-court advantage and a recent history of dominating this rivalry, Iowa has the upper hand. Minnesota’s newfound confidence and Dawson Garcia’s standout play make them a tough opponent, but the Hawkeyes’ depth and experience should help them pull out a hard-fought win.