College Basketball Betting: Iowa vs. Duquesne Odds & Pick: November 17th 2009

Iowa vs. Duquesne
Free Pick: Duquesne -1.5
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Here we have a team from the Atlantic Ten favored on the road over a team from the Big Ten. No, that is not a mistake and the knee jerk reaction would be to jump on that home underdog based on the conference name alone. However Iowa is an underdog for a few reasons and those reasons are not good. Indiana was the bottom dweller of the conference last season and it looks as though Iowa is going to takes its place this season. The Hawkeyes have lost six players that have left the team since head coach Frank Lickliter took over the team two years ago. This includes the leading scorers from each of the last two seasons and there is only one senior on the entire roster. The inexperience and lack of depth showed in the Hawkeyes opener as they lost at home to Texas-San Antonio by 12 points. The Roadrunners are a good team out of the Southland Conference but that is a loss that simply should not be taking place. It does not expect to get better for Iowa anytime soon. Duquesne had no problem with Nicholls St. in its opener as it shot 55.2 percent from the floor despite going just 2-12 from behind the arc. The Dukes surprised a lot of people last season as they finished 21-13 and made it to the Atlantic Ten Championship game where they fell to Temple by just five points. That gave them a berth in the NIT where they lost a hard-fought game in overtime to Virginia Tech. Duquesne is expected to be even better this season as it brings back four starters. The lone starter lost was a big one as it is point guard Aaron Jackson but sophomore Eric Evans looked very good in his first start at the point as he dished out nine assists against the Colonels despite turning it over five times. Lack of size was an issue last season but that changes this year as the Dukes have five players on the roster 6’7” or taller. It should be noted that Nicholls St. is the favorite to win the Southland conference by many. Duquesne is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 road games after scoring 85 or more points in a home win. 3* Duquesne Dukes