Expert prediction
NCAA Second Round: Kentucky vs Iowa State Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 22)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Wildcats survived an overtime thriller against Santa Clara.
- The Cyclones overwhelmed Tennessee State in the Round of 64.
- This marks the fourth all-time matchup between the two squads.
The NCAA Tournament continues to heat up in the second round during the March 22 schedule as the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Iowa State Cyclones. The latter comes out as the slight favorite, paving the way for a great showdown to see who gets to advance to the Sweet 16.
How to Watch
- When: Sunday, March 22, 2:45 pm ET
- Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
- How to Watch: CBS
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | -111 | +5 | O146 |
| Iowa State | -109 | -5 | U146 |
Game Preview
The Wildcats (22-13) had to pull off some heroics to get to the Round of 32, escaping with a win over Santa Clara in the 89-84 thriller. Otega Oweh scored a career high 35 points, including a game-tying 3-pointer from halfcourt that forced overtime to take place and allow Kentucky to play at least one more game. Mo Dioubate scored 17 points and had eight rebounds for UK, while Denzel Aberdeen had 16 points. Brandon Garrison had 10 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots in the contest.
The Cyclones (28-7) cruised to their victory in the first round, lighting up Tennessee State in blowout fashion. Killyan Toure recorded his first career double-double, adding 11 rebounds to go along with his 25 points. In addition to Nate Heise’s 22 points, Milan Momcilovic scored 17 points while Blak Buchanan had 11 points, seven rebounds and a career-high eight assists. However, star player Joshua Jefferson suffered a leg injury early in the first half and didn’t return, impacting Iowa State’s chances moving forward.
Kentucky vs Iowa State Head-to-Head
The two programs have had three meetings in their history, and the result is 3-0 for the Wildcats. The last matchup was in March 2012 when Kentucky won 87-71.
Kentucky vs Iowa State Predictions
The winner of this matchup will take on the victors between Virginia and Tennessee in the Sweet 16. Kentucky showed the resilience it needed to avoid crashing out in the first round. However, they were a missed game-tying triple away from losing to Santa Clara if Otega Oweh didn’t save them. This presents the potential result of Iowa State taking care of business as the better performing squad. Our betting pick here is the Cyclones to defend a 5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Iowa State Cyclones -5
NCAAB
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