The Texas Longhorns (+20,000 to win the national title) are not sure of a spot in the Big Dance, but a win at home against the Iowa State Cyclones (+4,000) will definitely bolster their resume for an at-large bid. That’s going to be easier said than done, though, especially with Texas missing its best player. Read on for more about this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Iowa State Cyclones vs. Texas Longhorns College Basketball Game on March 2, 2019
Where: Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas
When: Saturday, March 2, 2019, 2:00 PM ET
Line: Iowa State Cyclones (odds) vs. Texas Longhorns (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Iowa State Cyclones (20-8 Overall / 9-6 Conference)
Iowa State prevented an ugly three-game losing skid from infecting its record, as the Cyclones returned in the win column with a dominant 78-61 home win over the Oklahoma Sooners. As usual, it was Marial Shayok, who showed the Cyclones the way with 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting to go with six rebounds and five assists. He also had three 3-pointers and a block 36 minutes. Iowa State bombarded Oklahoma with 11 3-pointers to just six by the Sooners. It’s the same long-range weapon the Cyclones will look to mobilize in the rematch with Texas. In their 65-60 win in Ames on Feb.2 against the Longhorns, the Cyclones went 8-for-21 from deep. Iowa State is third in the conference with a 36.7 percent shooting from behind the arc.
Iowa State is 5-4 against the spread (ATS) in road games this season and 9-9-1 ATS in contests following a win.
Betting on the Texas Longhorns (15-12 Overall / 7-7 Conference)
Texas has been inconsistent lately, walking a fine line at .500 in conference play. The Longhorns won two games in a row against the Baylor Bears and the West Virginia Mountaineers early this month before losing to the Kansas State Wildcats and the Sooners. Sandwiched in those games was a win at home against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Longhorns have a rematch with Baylor this Wednesday before meeting the Cyclones again. Texas needs to regain its scoring ways. The team is averaging 71.5 points per game on the season, but has managed just 66.7 in the Longhorns’ last three contests. Those are interesting figures to look at, considering that the Longhorns have actually shot better in the last three games (44.5 percent) than on the season (43.7 percent). Texas’ leading scorer, Kerwin Roach, however, is unlikely to play in the rematch with Iowa State due to suspension. Roach, who is averaging 15.0 points per game, had 19 points in the loss to the Cyclones.
Texas is 3-1 ATS in its last four home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Iowa State wins, 73-68.
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