The Texas A&M Aggies had been unstoppable on a 10-game win streak, until they lost a nail-biter at Arkansas on Wednesday night. They get a chance to start another win streak when they welcome the Iowa State Cyclones to Reed Arena on Saturday. The Cyclones are no pushovers, however, currently holding a four-game win streak.
Can the Aggies get back on the right track? Or will the Cycloes continue to climb the rankings with another big win over a top team? Read on as we take a look at this tasty college basketball clash. If you’re hungry for more hoops action, then check out our complete previews for the huge matchups coming this weekend: Oklahoma vs. LSU and Kentucky vs. Kansas.
Iowa State overcame a slow start and used a 24-7 run midway through the second half to upset No. 4 Kansas 85-72 on Monday night. Monte Morris led the way with 21 points and Georges Niang scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half. Abdel Nader would not be denied as well, adding 17 points for the Cyclones.
The Cyclones defeated three of the top five teams in this week’s Top 25. They have a chance to add one more when they take on the No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies. Iowa State has a strong chance for another big win due to their deep roster. Niang leads the scoring with 19.3 points per game, while five others are averaging in double digits this season.
Iowa State’s offense will be in Morris’ hands. He does everything for the team, averaging 15.5 points, four rebounds and a team-high seven assists per game. He can force Texas A&M to lock down on him due to his ability to drive to the basket or hit from downtown (39 percent three-point shooting). Morris can then dish out the ball to wide-open teammates once he draws more defenders to himself.
Morris also has some nifty hands on defense, leading the team with 2.1 assists per game. Forcing Texas A&M into committing plenty of turnovers will be crucial in this game. The Aggies lost the turnover battle (21-12) in their last outing, a 74-71 loss to Arkansas. Iowa State’s game will flow through Morris. If he’s left unshackled, then the Cyclones will have an excellent shot at adding another top-five victory.
The Cyclones are 3-1 ATS in their four road games this month.
Betting on the Texas A&M Aggies (17-3)
The Texas A&M Aggies are one of the best defensive teams in the nation, ranking 33rd with just 64.3 points allowed per game. They’re also a pretty formidable home team, winning their last eight games at Reed Arena. Looking at Texas A&M’s defense and solid home record, one can discount Wednesday’s 74-71 loss at Arkansas as more of an anomaly.
While their solid defense could slow down Iowa State’s scoring, Texas A&M could fire back with their own offense. Their trio of scorers, Jalen Jones, Danuel House and Tyler Davis could light up the scoreboard against Iowa State’s patchy defense, allowing 73.6 points per game (226th in the nation).
Jones is the team’s leading scorer with 17.1 points per game. He’ll be hell-bent on making up for a lackluster outing in Wednesday’s loss, when he shot 2 of 7 from the floor. But he still managed to finish with a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. House made up for Jones’ lack of scoring with 24 big points, while Davis had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Point guard Alex Caruso could have a field day using his playmaking to exploit Iowa State’s questionable defense. He leads the team with 5.1 assists per game this season. He’s averaging 6.7 assists per game in his last six outings. Expect Caruso to dish out some assists to the trio of Jones, House and Davis as the Aggies put a solid home outing.
The Aggies are 4-2 ATS in their last six at home.
Writer’s Prediction
The Aggies rebound with a big win over Iowa State.
