Kansas vs. Iowa State NCAA Basketball Picks and Odds Analysis (Archive)
If the rematch on Tuesday’s NCAA basketball odds board between the Kansas Jayhawks and Iowa State Cyclones is as good as their first meeting three weeks ago, then we’re in for a real treat between the ranked Big 12 rivals.
Kansas Jayhawks vs. Iowa Cyclones
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 – 7:00 PM EST at James H. Hilton Coliseum
Kansas and Iowa State enter Tuesday’s tilt off opposite results in the recent Big 12/SEC Challenge, the event providing the last real glimpse of interconference clashes among Power 6 teams until the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks were embarrassed on their home floor by Kentucky in a battle between a pair of favorites in their respective conferences according to the college basketball futures, while the Cyclones took care of business against Missouri.
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The final five weeks of the campaign get underway with only percentage points separating Kansas and Baylor at the top of the Big 12 standings, the difference caused in part by the fact the Jayhawks have played two fewer conference games. Iowa State is sitting 3½-games back in a tie for sixth place with Oklahoma.
Jayhawks Chalked for the Eighth Straight Meeting
One of two Big 12 clashes on Tuesday pitting ranked teams against one another, ESPN will carry the contest to a national television audience. Kansas went out as 3½-point chalk for the repeat match, and overnight trading sent the spread up to 4½. Playing the scoreboard means making a decision on a total running 138-138½ at various outlets.
Iowa State was No. 15 and Kansas No. 9 when the clubs collided in Lawrence on January 11, and the Jayhawks needed a layup in the final seconds to win 62-61 and withstand a furious rally effort by the Cyclones. Both teams enjoyed 9-point leads at some point in the game that saw Kansas close as 13-point chalk at most of the best online sportsbooks. The final never really threatened a total which ran from 137½-140 at various shops.
Kansas picked up its fifth consecutive win in the rivalry, and 10th in the last 13 meetings to balloon the advantage to 185-66 over Iowa State. The Cyclones did, however, manage to stop a run of 4-straight covers by the Jayhawks. Their matchup in Ames last season saw Kansas coast to a 64-50 win as an 11½-point favorite.
KU Looks to Regroup After Rout by UK
Tuesday’s tilt is the middle match of a 5-game stretch for Kansas against ranked teams. The Jayhawks will return home after this one to host the Baylor Bears on Saturday, and then travel to Austin to meet the Texas Longhorns to begin next week. Keeping his team from looking ahead to the Baylor game is on Bill Self’s mind.
Keeping his team from looking back to last Saturday when the Jayhawks had their backsides kicked by Kentucky is another issue. Favored by 5 at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review) in the matchup of the two winningest college programs, Kansas was flat to start the game and Kentucky showed no mercy in jumping out to a big early lead.
Kentucky seemingly couldn’t miss in the first half when the Wildcats took a 20-point lead into the locker room, and the Jayhawks never could come up with an answer to stop Keion Brooks who scored a season-high 27. Self was more concerned with how Kansas was manhandled on the boards by Kentucky.
Cyclones Have Covered Four of Last Six Trips to Floor
In a funk when last week started, Iowa State won both of its games to at least slow the descent brought on by losing four of six. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger was initially proud of his team gutting through a tough road game at Oklahoma State where the Cyclones came away with an 84-81 win in overtime. The top sportsbooks were giving the Cyclones 3 in that one, and the final easily got past the total.
Iowa State then hosted a former rival in the Big 12/SEC challenge on Saturday, and put a 67-50 whipping on Missouri to cover an 11-point line. Knotted at 34-apiece 3½ minutes into the second half, the Cyclones went on a 15-0 run to put that one away. Izaiah Brockington scored 15 to lead three Iowa State players in double figures.
How much energy can the Cyclones draw from their crowd tonight, and can their defense stifle the Jayhawks like the first meeting in Lawrence? I like Kansas to bounce back, but feel the total coming up short is a safer college basketball pick in this Big 12 showdown.
NCAAB Pick: Under 138½ (-108) with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.