In this Iowa State vs. BYU prediction, the 5th-seeded Cyclones square off against the fourth-seeded Cougars in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO. The Cyclones got a bye in round one and then advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats on Wednesday afternoon. The Cougars are 23-8 overall and finished the Big 12 regular season 14-6 in conference play. The opening tap is scheduled for 12:30 pm EST. Read on for more in this Iowa State/BYU prediction and grab more NCAAB Predictions!
Iowa State moves on
The Iowa State Cyclones advanced to the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament with a 76-56 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats on Wednesday afternoon. The Cyclones jumped out to a nine-point lead at the half and rolled to a comfortable victory. They completed the season sweep of the Bearcats and move one step closer to defending their Big 12 Conference Tournament title. Joshua Jefferson led the way with 19 points while Dishon Jackson had a big game with a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds. The Cyclones now get set to meet the Brigham Young Cougars, just a week after losing a double-overtime thriller at home to the 4th-seeded Cougars.
The Cyclones could have some depth issues on Thursday against the Cougars. They lost Tamin Lipsey to a groin injury after he poured in 16 points in 29 minutes of work. Guard Keshon Gilbert returned after missing three of the last five games because of a muscle strain but only played 11 first half minutes before sitting out the rest of the game. The Cyclones dominated the glass, outrebounding Cincinnati 41-23. They shot nearly 54 percent from the floor while holding the Bearcats to 32 percent shooting. The Cyclones outscored the Bearcats in the paint, 36-16. The Cyclones will have to clean up their turnovers in this rematch with the Cougars, turning the ball over 17 times.
Key Injuries: Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert are game-time decisions.
Cougars look to sweep season series with Iowa State
The BYU Cougars had an impressive first season in the Big 12. They earned the fourth seed in the Big 12 Tournament and enter this quarterfinal matchup with an overall record of 23-8 and a 14-6 conference mark. The season ended on a high note for the Cougars, winning each of their last eight games. The Cougars picked up quality wins this season over Kansas, Arizona, and a huge road win at Iowa State. They return to action on Wednesday after earning a bye into the quarterfinals.
“I feel like they are mentally in a space where they are ready to take the world on, which as a head coach is a good feeling,” head coach Kevin Young said about his team’s chances in the Big 12 Tournament.
The Cougars will take their eight-game winning streak into the quarterfinals of the tournament, hoping to advance to the weekend. Richie Saunders leads the Cougars with 16 points per game. Egor Domin tops the team in assists, and Keba Keita is averaging nearly eight rebounds per game. The Cougars are ranked second in the conference in scoring this season. They are first in field goal shooting and third in 3-point shooting. The Cougars are tops in the Big 12 in 3-point field goals per game. Overall, the Cougars are ranked 12th in the country in offensive efficiency. On the defensive end, the Cougars are 10th in scoring defense. They rank eighth in field goal defense and 14th in 3-point defense. The Cougars are 57th in defensive efficiency in the country. They rank 4th in the Big 12 in scoring margin, fifth in turnover margin, and second in rebounding.
Key Injuries: F Kanon Catchings is questionable.
Best Bets for Iowa State vs. BYU
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
The red-hot Cougars have won eight straight games including a double-OT win over Iowa State on the road. They are 7-3 ATS in that span. The Cyclones closed out the season with seven wins in their final ten games and went 6-4 ATS in that time. They failed to cover the number in the double OT loss, coming in as an 8.5-point favorite at home. The Cyclones will need to shoot like they did against Cincinnati on the afternoon, rather than the 35 percent they shot at home against the Cougars last week. The Cyclones' ability to shoot from long range could be the difference on Thursday afternoon. The Cyclones are sixth in the conference in 3-point shooting and shot 48 percent from beyond the arc on Wednesday. That was against a Cincinnati defense that ranked 7th in 3-point defense, compared to the Cougars who are ranked 14th. Payback will be on the minds of the Cyclones on Thursday and they'll get to the weekend with a win over BYU.
Take Iowa State
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
The Cyclones have hit their stride defensively toward the end of the season. They are sixth in the nation in defensive efficiency and fifth in the conference in points allowed per game. The Cyclones have gone under the number in five of their last six games. If the first game doesn't hit double-overtime, the two teams would have been well below the over, set at 150. The Cyclones will exert their will defensively and roll to a win that stays under the number.
Take the under.
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