NCAA Top Basketball Betting Pick: Iowa State at Kansas State

Two struggling Big XII teams will face off Saturday afternoon when the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Kansas State Wildcats. The Cyclones have lost five of their last eight games, while the Wildcats are just 1-4 over their last five. Kansas State is considered a (-2) home favorite heading into the contest with an expected total of 137 points. The tilt is scheduled for a 2:00 PM EST tip-off from Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, KS, and will be broadcast on ESPN. Check out MyBookie’s College Basketball betting odds for the pick of day.

MyBookie’s College Basketball Pick of Day: Iowa State Cyclones at Kansas State Wildcats

Matchup History

While this rivalry only dates back to the mid-1970s, these two teams have met a TON of times over the years. Saturday’s meeting will mark the 167th time these two schools have faced off on the hardwood, with Kansas State leading the all-time series 107-59. Iowa State has won the last two meetings, including a four-point home victory earlier this season. Prior to the last two meetings, Kansas State had won four consecutive matchups.

Iowa State Cyclones Team Overview

With fairly modest expectations coming into the season, Iowa State has been one of the more intriguing teams of the 2022-23 campaign. They are currently 17-8 on the season with victories over North Carolina, Baylor, TCU, and Texas while also losing to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State twice.

Their recent struggles appear to be a direct correlation with the struggles of their star guard Jaren Holmes. The St. Bonaventure transfer was fantastic earlier in the season but averages just over 13 points per game over his last five contests while shooting just over 37% from the floor overall. When Holmes scores over 15 points, the Cyclones are 9-2 straight up on the season.

T.J. Otzelberger’s club has struggled from a wagering standpoint on the road this season at just 3-5 against the spread. They are underperforming the number by -1.9 points per contest, while their road margin of victory number is the third worst in the Big XII, -5.4 points.

Kansas State Wildcats Team Overview

Kansas State has been one of the best stories in the country this season for a variety of different reasons. First-year head coach Jerome Tang has somehow navigated his way through the most difficult conference in the nation and stands at 19-7 overall and 7-6 in league play. The second great story is that former Florida star Keyontae Johnson has returned to college basketball and is playing like a potential national-of-the-year dark horse candidate.

The Wildcats have defended their home court extremely well this season with a 13-1 record straight up and having covered the number in ten of those fourteen contests. They are covering the number by a ridiculous +5.7 points per game at home this season and have a margin of victory number of 14.3 points per game.

The Pick

With both teams having their struggles lately, it’s easy to lean toward the home team. If you think Kansas State will win the game straight up, you may as well take them to cover the number, as the payout will likely be higher.