Heading into the second round of March Madness, Iowa State is playing as well as any team in the country. The Cyclones cut through the Big 12 Tournament like a hot knife through butter and handled business in their first-round game. Washington State, on the other hand, has not played its best basketball at the end of the season but found a way to mount a comeback and beat Drake after trailing for most of that first-round matchup.
Washington State is 25-9 straight up and 18-16 against the spread this season, but won only three of its six games before the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State is 28-7 SU and owns the fifth-best cover rate in the nation, going 24-10-1 ATS (70.6%). The Cyclones are on a four-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine and 12 of their last 14 games.
Here’s everything you need to know about betting on Iowa State vs. Washington State in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends, and our prediction for Saturday’s second-round game on TNT at 6:10 p.m. ET
Iowa State vs. Washington State odds
Here are the latest college basketball betting odds for Iowa State vs. Washington State from the best online sports betting sites in the U.S. Iowa State is a high single-digit favorite over the Cougars in Omaha, and with a total below 130, oddsmakers are expecting a low-scoring contest.
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Three betting trends to watch
- Iowa State has won four games in a row, covering the spread in all four.
- Washington State has only covered the spread in three of their last seven games.
- Iowa State has covered the spread in six of their last eight games as single-digit spread favorites.
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Washington State Cougars key players
- The Cougars have one of the best frontcourt duos of any team in the country. Isaac Jones leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Jones scores the ball efficiently, shooting 57.8% from the field, and is coming off a 20-point game in the first-round win over Drake.
- Jones’s partner down low is Jaylen Wells, the team’s third-leading scorer, averaging 12.3 PPG. He had a strong first-round game, scoring 17 points and going 3-for-4 from three. Wells is a 43.3% shooter from three and leads the Cougars with 68 made threes this season.
- Myles Rice is the only guard on Washington State to play more than 25 minutes a night and is crucial to the Cougars offense. He is the second-leading scorer, averaging 14.9 PPG, but he had an off night in the first round, scoring just nine points on 3-12 shooting.
Iowa State Cyclones key players
- Iowa State uses a balanced approach on offense, with six players scoring between 7.8 and 13.8 points per game. Keshon Gilbert is the leading scorer at 13.8 PPG, but he does so much more than just score. He averages 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and two steals per game. His ability to impact the game cannot be understated. He has been playing even better than his averages, scoring 17 points with seven assists in the first round.
- Just behind Gilbert is Tamin Lipsey, averaging 12.4 PPG. Like Gilbert, he impacts games in many different ways. Lipsey averages 4.6 rebounds a game and leads the team with 4.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
- Milan Momcilovic, the Cyclones’ best frontcourt player, averages 11.2 PPG. The freshman has been getting better all season. He has scored 19 and 18 points in his last two games, the most in any two-game stretch this season. His production will be a massive part of Iowa State’s run this March.
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Best individual matchup: Myles Rice vs. Tamin Lipsey
Myles Rice is the only true guard to see major minutes for Washington State, and when he plays his best, the Cougars can compete with high-caliber opponents. Matching up with Tamin Lipsey will be a major challenge, and if Rice, just a freshman, is not careful with the basketball, Lipsey will be happy to take it away. For Washington State to keep this close, Rice has to play one of his best games of the season, but with a defender like Lipsey, that is easier said than done.
Iowa State vs. Washington State stat to know
It is as simple as looking at the Cougars and Cyclones’ last few weeks of play. Washington State went 3-3 down the stretch and got lucky beating a Drake team that fell apart in the last four minutes of the first round. Iowa State has won four games in a row, is peaking at the right time, and, if they continue at their current level, will move on to the Sweet 16.
Iowa State vs. Washington State prediction: Cyclones continue hot run of play
Iowa State will handle the Cougars, they are going to make their freshman point guard handle a lot of pressure. Even if Myles Rice handles it, which won’t be easy, Iowa State has been running through opponents, and Washington State’s A-game won’t be enough if Iowa State maintains their current level.
Prediction: Iowa State 71, Washington State 61. Iowa State (-7.5) covers the spread, with the game going OVER the total (128.5)
