The Iowa State Cyclones (24-7) travel to face off against the Houston Cougars (28-3) on Saturday, March 16th. This game will be played at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City and televised on ESPN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 6:00 ET.
Iowa State Cyclones vs Houston Cougars
The Iowa State Cyclones Are Coming Off A Win
As Iowa State gets set to take on Houston, they are coming off a win against Baylor by a score of 76-62. Over their last 10 road games, the Cyclones have gone 5-5.
So far this season, Iowa State has been the underdog in eight games, going 4-4. Their record overall is 24-7, and they have gone 15-5 in Big 12 play.
As the underdog this season, Iowa State has a solid ATS mark of 5-2-1. Their overall ATS record for the year is 21-10-2. Over their last three road games, the Cyclones are 1-1-1 vs. the spread and 6-3-1 in their last 10 road contests.
Today’s over/under line of 122 is lower than the average over/under line in Iowa State’s games this season (138). This year, 17 of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 131 points.
The Houston Cougars Are Coming Off A Win
With a 20-0 record at home, the Houston Cougars are looking to extend their 10-game winning streak as they face off against the Iowa State Cyclones. Houston has been favored in 30 of their 31 games this season, and they have gone 28-2 in those contests.
Most recently, the Cougars defeated Texas Tech by a score of 82-59. Over their last 10 games at home, Houston has gone a perfect 10-0.
As the favorite this season, Houston has gone 15-13-2 vs. the spread. At home, the Cougars have an ATS mark of 13-6-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, Houston has a record of 5-3-2.
Today’s over/under line of 122 is lower than the average over/under line of 133.1 in Houston’s games this year. This season, 24 of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 122 points.
Iowa State Offense Breakdown
In their recent game, the Cyclones’ offense concluded with 76 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 75.8 points per contest. The team’s scoring leader is Keshon Gilbert, who holds an average of 13.7 as they head into today’s matchup. Additionally, Tamin Lipsey is averaging 12.4 points per game this season.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keshon Gilbert (G) | 13.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Tamin Lipsey (G) | 12.4 | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Milan Momcilovic (F) | 10.8 | 3.1 | 1.2 |
Houston Offense Breakdown
Houston’s offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 82 points against Texas Tech. They had an overall field goal percentage of 49.2% and made 12/14 free throws. LJ Cryer is the current leading scorer for the team, with an average of 15.6 as they approach today’s matchup. In addition, Jamal Shead brings a PPG average of 13.2 into the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| LJ Cryer (G) | 15.6 | 2.3 | 1.9 |
| Jamal Shead (G) | 13.2 | 3.8 | 6.3 |
| Emanuel Sharp (G) | 12.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 |
Iowa State Team Defense
At this time, the Cyclones’ defense is positioned 6th in the country, permitting 61.9 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Iowa State’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 40.4% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 31.6% this season.
Houston Team Defense
The Cougars’ defense is presently ranked 1st nationally, allowing an average of 56.6 points per contest. In their previous game vs. Texas Tech, the Red Raiders finished with a field goal percentage of 49% and a total of 59 points vs. Houston.
Cyclones vs Cougars Trends
- When looking at their past five road matchups, Iowa State has an ATS record of 3-1-1 while averaging 64 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
- Although Houston has a straight up record of 3-0 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 78 points per game in these games.
- The Cyclones have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 3-2 straight up and 4-0-1 against the spread.
- Houston has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.
Cyclones vs Cougars Prediction
For today’s matchup we are recommending to take the Cougars to secure the win, with an expected final score of 77-67. When it comes to the spread, we believe they’ll cover at -5.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 122 and given that our model is projecting 144 points between the teams, we like the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:March 16, 2024 Houston Cougars, Iowa State Cyclones