It will be a battle between Big 12 opponents when the No. 17 Iowa State Cyclones (20-9) welcome the Oklahoma State Cowboys (12-17) to James H. Hilton Coliseum. The game begins at 7:00 pm ET on Monday, Feb. 29 and can be seen on ESU and ES3.
The Cyclones come into this game hoping to repeat their last performance, blowing out Kansas State 80-61 on Saturday. Jameel McKay played a pivotal role, recording 14 points and 17 rebounds to notch his sixth double-double this season. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 70-56 loss to West Virginia on Saturday. Joe Burton had a team-high 16 points.
Georges Niang has taken his game to another level recently for the Cyclones, averaging 21.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 1.6 three-pointers over the last five games.
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Cyclones winning the first matchup 64-59. Monte Morris was a top performer in the victory with 16 points, six rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and two three-pointers.
The Cyclones have gone 20-9 Straight Up (SU) and 13-12-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Cyclones have one of the most prolific home offenses in the entire nation, averaging 84.1 points per game. The Cyclones are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting a superb .383 from beyond the arc. Iowa State is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.47. The Iowa State defense has been on fire lately, allowing an average of 68.3 points per game, well under their season average of 75.3.
As for their opponent, the Cowboys have 12-17 SU and 13-13-1 ATS records. Offensively, the Cowboys have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 67.5 points per game by averaging 80.4 during that stretch. The Cowboys convert their free throws at a high percentage, ranking 37th in the nation at .740. The Cowboys average 67.3 points allowed per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 78.5 points per game during that span.
Iowa State won the last meeting this season between these two teams, moving its SU record against Oklahoma State to 7-3 in their most recent head-to-head meetings. The Cyclones also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3. Neither Iowa State nor Oklahoma State has led in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers) over their most recent five games.
Predictions: SU Winner – IaSt, ATS Winner – IaSt
Notes
Iowa State is one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 83.0 points per game (ranked 11th). Oklahoma State allows 67.3 points per game (ranked 61st).
Iowa State won its last game by a 19-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Oklahoma State is 5-2. Iowa State is 7-0 in blowouts this season.
On average, Iowa State has 71.9 possessions per game and scores 1.155 points on each possession. Oklahoma State has both fewer possessions (65.6) and scores fewer points during those possessions (1.029).
The Iowa State Cyclones have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking sixth in the country with an eFG% of 57.3%. When their opponents record a similar or higher eFG%, the Oklahoma State Cowboys are winless with a 0-4 record.
On average, Iowa State attempts 22.0 three pointers and Oklahoma State attempts 19.0. In games where they have 20 or more three point attempts, the Iowa State Cyclones have a stellar 15-5 record while the Oklahoma State Cowboys have a subpar 4-8 record.
The 20th-ranked team in the category, Iowa State has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.47 this season. Oklahoma State ranks outside the top 100 at 224th with an A/TO of .98.
Oklahoma State ranks 259th in offensive rebounds, while Iowa State ranks at 74th in defensive rebounds.
On average, Oklahoma State forces a turnover rate of 17.8%. When Iowa State turns over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a solid 6-3 record.
