#3 Iowa State at Iowa Game Lines, Prediction & 2024 NCAAB Expert Analysis for Week 6

State bragging rights for the next year are on the line in college basketball Thursday night when No. 3 Iowa State visits unranked Iowa in the renewal of the Cy-Hawk Series.

The Cyclones are solid road favorites on the NCAAB odds in Week 6.

Iowa State NCAAB Lines -250

No. 3 Iowa State (7-1) won its fourth game in a row Sunday, 100-58 over Jackson State. ISU forced 24 turnovers to tie a season high while running off to its largest margin of victory since beating Prairie View A&M 107-56 on Dec. 10, 2023.

Game Review

It was the 22nd straight victory for the Cyclones in Hilton Coliseum, the second-best run in school history. ISU had five players in double-figure scoring and were led by Curtis Jones, who buried five 3-pointers en route to 19 points, and Milan Momcilovic, who tallied 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. ISU’s 11 3-pointers tied a season high.

Joshua Jefferson

Jefferson posted his second consecutive double-double with 10 points and 13 boards, and Dishon Jackson added 17 points with a 4-of-4 effort from the field and a 9-of-11 performance from the charity stripe. Keshon Gilbert scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half. Nate Heise had a career-high six steals, as the Cyclones had 16 thefts in the victory. Heise’s six steals are tied for fifth on ISU’s single-game steals record chart.

It's a Cyclone Sweep.

📰: https://t.co/KNZdPHM3aR#Cyclones | #C5C | @kg2times | @Joshua_LV0 pic.twitter.com/7JdccuPUvP

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) December 9, 2024

Keshon Gilbert

Gilbert was named Big 12 Player of the Week for last week and Joshua Jefferson the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. The senior guard Gilbert senior guard finished the week averaging 20.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.0 steals, one of just four players nationally with those numbers. It is his second career Big 12 Player of the Week selection, earning the nod in back-to-back weeks. Jefferson had a pair of double doubles to average 12.5 points and 12.5 rebounds, the only Big 12 player to post those marks over the week.

Tamin Lipsey

An honorable mention All-American and a first-team All-Big 12 selection last season, guard Lipsey remains a feisty defender, but so far this season his production in other areas of the game has regressed. He finished the 2023-24 campaign averaging 12.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game, while shooting 42.8% overall and 39.1% from deep.

Through eight games this year, Lipsey is averaging just 8.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting 43.1% overall but a 25.0% clip from long range. He still finds ways to positively impact the game and has helped the Cyclones attain their highest ranking in the AP Poll since 1957 at No. 3.

TJ Otzelberger

“I’ve got tremendous confidence in him and the way he’s going to play. It’s just, I know he would have liked to − in some of these games − maybe been at his absolute best, but he’s still playing well. He’s bringing a lot to the table, and he’s a consummate winner,” Coach Otzelberger said.

AP Top 25

Iowa State rose to number three in the AP Poll this week, tying a program record for highest ranking ever. Gilbert has been the team’s most consistent player early in the season, averaging 17.4 points per game with a team-high 5.5 assists. He’s scored 20-plus points in three of his last five outings. Sixth-man Jones is second on the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per contest, and has scored in double figures in all seven games he’s come off the bench.

Four Cyclones have scored in double figures in seven of ISU’s eight contests this season. The Cyclones are 37-2 under Otzelberger when four or more players score in double figures.

Iowa NCAAB Lines +199

Iowa (7-2) comes off an 85-83 loss in Big Ten play at Michigan on Saturday – had the Hawkeyes pulled that out, they probably would be in the Top 25 this week. Roddy Gayle Jr. scored with 4.6 seconds remaining for the winning points on a goal tending call. Iowa advanced the ball past half court and called timeout with 1.1 remaining. The inbounds pass made it across court to Pryce Sandfort, but he missed an awkward baseline 3-point attempt.

Scored Points

The Hawkeyes would finish the game shooting 32-of-77 (41.6%) from the field and 9-27 (33.3%) from deep. Iowa struggled at the free throw line, converting on just 10-of-17 (58.8%) attempts. The Hawkeyes were led by Payton Sandfort with 19 points — with 16 of them coming in the second half. He missed his first five 3-point attempts before hitting four of his last five, including a pair in the final two minutes, to help Iowa tie at 83.

MONEY! https://t.co/XJCnOOZHbh

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) December 7, 2024

Josh Dix and Pryce Sandfort finished with 16 points apiece, while Owen Freeman added 13. Iowa committed just four turnovers – a season low. It was the first time this season an Iowa opponent shot better than 50 percent from the field. The Wolverines had a 54-32 advantage in points in the paint.

Fran McCaffrey

“We kept fighting. You know, we had 15 offensive rebounds, which was a problem the other night. We only turned it over four times against a heavy pressure defense, proud of the guys,” Coach McCaffrey said.

Owen Freeman

Freeman has posted two double-doubles and is averaging a team-best 16.8 points, seven rebounds and 1.6 blocks, while shooting 64.4 percent from the floor. He is second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage. Iowa has at least one player (five different players) score 20 or more points in seven of the team’s nine games.

The Shooting %

Iowa has held all eight of its nine opponents under 50 percent shooting, has forced at least 18 turnovers in five games, and has held three opponents under 70 points. The Hawkeyes are 96-3 when holding opponents to fewer than 61 points over the past 14+ seasons. Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (19.3) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.81). The team has had 20+ assists in four games. The team is 10th in the nation in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.

Brock Harding

Sophomore Harding has scored in double digits in three of the last four games. He had a 20-point, 10-assist, four-steal double-double in the win over USC Upstate. He is the only player in the nation with a 20-point, 10-assist, 4-steal game this season. Harding is averaging 14 points, 6.8 assists and 3.7 steals over his last four games.

As for this game, Iowa has won four straight over Iowa State inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, winning by an average of 18.8 points. This includes a 28-point win in 2020 (105-77) and a 19-point victory (75-56) in 2022.

How to Bet Iowa State at Iowa Game Lines NCAA Basketball

When: Thursday, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Fox Sports Live

Iowa State vs Iowa Last Meeting

Thursday’s game will be the 78th meeting in the all-time series. Iowa leads, 48-29. Each of the last six meetings have all been decided by 14 or more points. The last time an Iowa-Iowa State game was decided by single digits came in 2017 — an 84-78 ISU win in Ames. Last year, Iowa State rolled 90-65 at home. Thursday’s game is the highest the Cyclones have been ranked in the AP poll for a game against Iowa. Iowa State was ranked fourth in 2015-16 when the game was played in Ames.

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