The No. 10 Iowa State Cyclones face the Cincinnati Bearcats in a Big XII matchup on Tuesday, February 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET, and the game will air on ESPN2.
Iowa State (18-5, 7-3 Big XII) is on a roll in conference play. They’ve won five of their last six games, with the sole loss in that stretch coming against Baylor by just two points. The Cyclones sit at ninth overall at KenPom and rank third in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing 62.1 points per game (5th in the nation) with 10.8 steals per game (3rd in the nation). Their opponents average 17.4 turnovers per game (3rd in the nation).
Their latest win came over TCU by a score of 71-59. Iowa State shot 50% from the field at 42.1% from the perimeter. Forward Tre King led the team with 15 points, and Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert added 13 apiece. The Cyclones currently sit at second place in Big XII standings, behind only Houston, who they beat earlier this season. Nevertheless, they enter as underdogs in Tuesday’s matchup.
Cincinnati (15-8, 4-6 Big XII) has won just two of their last six games. They kept Houston within reach in their most recent game, but lost 67-62. None of their recent losses have come by more than five points. The Bearcats rank 33rd overall at KenPom and 20th in adjusted defensive efficiency. They hold opponents to 45.8% shooting from the two-point range (33rd in the nation) and grab 41 rebounds per game (7th in the nation).
The Bearcats are led by guard Dan Skillings with 12.2 points per game and by forward Viktor Lahin with 7.0 rebounds per game. They are 2-5 against Quad 1 opponents and are 12-3 at home this season.
Iowa State vs. Cincinnati odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Cincinnati -1.5
Total: 136
Moneyline: Cincinnati -130, Iowa State +110
Pick: Iowa State +105
This will be a highly defensive matchup, but it’s somewhat confusing that Cincinnati is favored here. Iowa State has looked significantly better than the Bearcats in conference play, and Cincy has been losing frequently lately. Lahin has also seen limited playing time, though the program has not designated him with an injury. This should be a lock with decent money for the Cyclones.