The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Utah Utes will battle on Saturday for Big 12 basketball bragging rights. Tip-off from Jon M. Huntsman Center is at 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Utes are 5.5-point spread favorites and the game total is 151.5 points scored.
Oklahoma State (9-5 SU, 4-10 ATS and 6-8 O/U) beat Kansas State 79-66 on Tuesday. The Cowboys are 1-2 in Big 12 competition this season.
Utah (8-6 SU, 6-8 ATS and 8-6 O/U) lost 82-59 to Iowa State on Tuesday. The Utes are 0-3 in Big 12 play.
These new conference members last met on the hardwood in 2009, a 77-55 Oklahoma State victory.
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Who will win this NCAAB matchup? Read more about our Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Utah Utes prediction!
Cowboys played excellently vs. Kansas State
Oklahoma State snapped a two-game losing streak with a 13-point win over K-State earlier this week. The Cowboys led 43-24 at the half and led by as many as 21 points. They were an efficient 28-of-59 shooting with nine threes and 34 points in the paint. OSU made the most of KSU's 19 turnovers, scoring 31 points off Wildcats miscues.
Senior forward Abou Ousmane leads the Pokes in scoring (12.9 PPG) and rebounding (5.3 RPG) this season. A few other Cowboys to watch tomorrow vs. the Utes are senior forward Marchelus Avery (12.6 PPG and 5.3 RPG), senior guard Bryce Thompson (9.5 PPG) and senior guard Brandon Newman (7.4 PPG).
KenPom rates Oklahoma State as the 104th-ranked college basketball team, including 168th in offensive efficiency and 77th in defensive efficiency. The Cowboys average 74.2 points (217th) and shoot 42.7 percent from the field (291st), holding their opponents to 73.2 points per game (234th) with a 46.0 field goal percentage (306th).
Oklahoma State Cowboys Injury Report: No recent injuries to report for Saturday's game vs. Utah.
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Utah could use a resounding victory for momentum
Utah started its season 8-2 but has dropped four consecutive games, including three Big 12 contests. The Utes lost by 25 to Baylor, 28 to Texas Tech and 23 to Iowa State, struggling to find the bottom of the net. They were held to 36 percent by the Cyclones and committed 18 turnovers (-10 turnover margin) that led to 25 Iowa State points. Utah shot 24 percent from three-point range and 61 percent at the foul line in the disappointing defeat.
Senior guards Gabe Madsen (16.7 PPG) and Mason Madsen (10.9 PPG) lead the Utes into battle on Saturday vs. the Cowboys. A few other Utah players to watch are 7-foot-1 senior center Lawson Lovering (10.6 PPG and 5.4 RPG), junior forward Ezra Ausar (9.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG) and sophomore guard Miro Little (7.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 4.6 APG).
KenPom rates Utah as the 85th-ranked NCAAB team, including 96th in offensive efficiency and 99th in defensive efficiency. The Utes score 81.0 points per game (63rd) on 46.3 percent shooting (117th) and their opponents average 70.9 points (168th) on 40.5 percent shooting (62nd).
Utah Utes Injury Report: No recent injuries to report for Saturday's game vs. Oklahoma State.
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Best Bets for Oklahoma State vs. Utah
Full-Game Side Bet
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Which one of these Big 12 rivals covers the spread? Find out more in this Oklahoma State vs. Utah prediction!
Full-Game Total Pick
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Oklahoma State vs. Utah expert prediction: The total will be over 151 points in Saturday's Big 12 basketball game.
Betting Trends: The over is 9-6 in OSU's last 15 road games and 13-9 in Utah's last 22 home games.
This matchup pits two fast-paced teams. The Cowboys rank 38th in adjusted tempo and the Utes rank 48th in tempo, suggesting there will be more possessions than the average matchup in this game. On top of that, both teams excel at creating points off turnovers. The Utes will be quick to convert off Cowboys turnovers and Oklahoma State can do the same. The visitors have pesky defenders and rank 40th in the nation in fast-break points (14.6 per contest). The Utes will score most of their points in the paint, while the Cowboys will scratch and claw their way to the free-throw line (34th in free-throw attempt rate) for additional points.
With all that said, I lean towards recommending a wager on the over at 151.5 but prefer a bet on the Utes to cover the spread.
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