Betsided

Iowa State vs. Kansas Prediction and Odds: Cyclones Overlooked After Recent Losses

By Matt De Saro

Kansas has one of the best offenses in the nation but has a tough test against a very strong Iowa State defense tonight.
Kansas has one of the best offenses in the nation but has a tough test against a very strong Iowa State defense tonight. / The Register-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

The No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks are on the hunt for a rebound game after suffering a disappointing loss to their Big 12 rivals, the Texas Tech Red Raiders over the weekend. Despite the setback, the Jayhawks are still 12-2 and in a fine position to make a run at the conference with a 1-1 record in the Big 12. 

Tonight, they get another shot at a ranked rival when they host the No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones. The Cyclones are 13-2 overall yet, they find themselves as 12.5-point underdogs on the road. Even after they beat the Red Raiders 51-47 and lost to No. Baylor by just five points. 

Here are the odds for this matchup, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.

Iowa State vs. Kansas Odds, Spread, and Total

Spread:

  • Iowa State +12.5 (-110)
  • Kansas -12.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

  • Iowa State +560
  • Kansas -800

Total: 140 (Over -115/Under -105)

Iowa State vs. Kansas Prediction and Pick

Right off the bat, I have to say that the spread on this game is puzzling to me. The game features two ranked opponents with similar records. Additionally, Kansas just lost to a team that Iowa State recently beat. While I will admit that Kansas is a superior team, I don’t think they are 13 points better on any given night. 

The Cyclones' offense might not win any trophies with an average of 71.1 points per game scored, but their defense is underrated in my opinion. Iowa State is the 10th ranked team in the nation in scoring defense and second in opponent’s assist to turnover ratio at 0.539. 

They are going to need all the defense they can muster with Kansas’ top 10 scoring offense in the building. The Jayhawks are averaging 83.1 PPG and have an effective field goal percentage of 57 and are hitting more than 37 percent of their three-point shots. It will be interesting to see if their offense gets back on track after a disastrous game against Texas Tech that saw them score a season-low of 67 points.

Iowa State will have their hands full tonight but I think after keeping it close against Baylor, Texas Tech, I think they can cover this hefty spread. 

Pick: Iowa State +12.5 (-110)

Home/College Basketball Predictions and Picks