Three Last Minute Iowa vs. Ohio State Predictions

Coming off back-to-back wins against teams that were ranked No. 15, the No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes now have a chance to beat the No. 12 team.

ESPN Analytics favors the Hawkeyes as Ohio State comes to town for these teams' lone meeting of the year.

Iowa is given a 69.0% chance to win this game as they're the overwhelming favorite, but that can't be taken too seriously.

Keep in mind, Iowa was a huge underdog going to Maryland and they won that game with relative ease, until the final two minutes. Anything can happen in the B1G, and the Buckeyes are out to prove that.

1. Jaloni Cambridge Plays Well, But Not Well Enough

OSU G Jaloni Cambridg — Ohio State Buckeyes guard Jaloni Cambridge (22) reacts after making a three point shot in the second half of the NCAA basketball game at Value City Arena on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Everyone knows that basketball is a team sport and one person can only get you so far. Sure, Cambridge dropped 41 points five games ago, but OSU still only won that game by nine points.

Defense and her supporting cast still play a huge factor. It's not like Cambridge is a ball hog either, she finished that game with six assists and has at least four in her last nine games.

Other than Audi Crooks, Iowa has done a great job defending the top players they faced. Cambridge will get her points, but it won't be enough to lead her team to victory.

2. Iowa Finishes Strong

No matter if Iowa is up by 20 points all game or needs a late comeback to take care of victory, there's no way head coach Jan Jensen allows her team to collapse again in the final two minutes.

While those turnovers weren't necessarily her fault, not having any timeouts certainly hurt the team. Overall, Iowa was able to pull through in overtime, but it could've been an all-time disaster. When OSU comes to town, they won't make the same mistakes again.

3. Addie Deal Continues Her Breakout Season

Iowa G Addie Dea — Iowa guard Addie Deal (7) attempts a 3-pointer against the Oregon Ducks Jan. 15, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's hard to predict Chit-Chat Wright to dominate in this game, knowing the Buckeyes have a pair of players that are 6'4'' and 6'6''. Neither Kylee Kitts nor Elsa Lemilla are the most prolific scorers, but Iowa is going to need someone to combat that height.

Jensen knew Deal was special, but not even she could have predicted how stellar the freshman's season would be going. Deal has been a huge name for this team to come off the bench, and while they already have height with the likes of Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke, Deal will bring a little extra to the table, in front of the home crowd, no less.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!