Expert prediction
NCAA First Round: Tennessee State vs Iowa State Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 20)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Tigers took home the OVC crown to punch their ticket.
- The Cyclones secured an At-Large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
- This marks the fifth all-time matchup between the two squads.
The NCAA Tournament continues to heat up in the first round during the March 20 schedule as the Tennessee State Tigers take on the Iowa State Cyclones. The latter comes out as the dominant favorite, paving the way for a great showdown to see who gets to advance to the second round.
How to Watch
- When: Friday, March 20, 2:50 pm ET
- Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
- How to Watch: CBS
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee State | -109 | +25 | O147.5 |
| Iowa State | -111 | -25 | U147.5 |
Game Preview
The Tigers (23-9) secured the Ohio Valley Conference’s automatic bid by winning the 2026 OVC Tournament Championship, marking the program’s third NCAA Tournament appearance in the Division I era and their first berth since 1993 and 1994. They placed three players on All-OVC teams in 2025-26, with Nkrumah and Travis Harper II earning First Team honors and Dante Harris named Second Team and All-Newcomer Team. Aaron Nkrumah led Tennessee State with 17.6 points per game while adding 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and a team-high 91 steals. Meanwhile, Travis Harper II averaged 17.3 points per game while shooting 40.1 percent from three-point range and 85.8 percent from the free-throw line.
The Cyclones (27-7) enter the tournament having dropped their last game against Arizona in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament. Joshua Jefferson was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, Milan Momcilovic to the Second Team, and Tamin Lipsey earned All-Defensive, Second Team and Scholar Athlete of the Year honors. Milan Momcilovic has been the nation’s best marksman this season, as the junior leads the country in 3-point percentage. Momcilovic has been named a finalist for the Julius Erving award, as he racked up six 25-plus point games so far this season for ISU.
Tennessee State vs Iowa State Head-to-Head
The two programs have had four meetings in their history, and the result is 4-0 for the Cyclones. The last matchup was in November 2009 when Iowa State won 84-53.
Tennessee State vs Iowa State Predictions
The winner of this matchup will take on the victors between Santa Clara and Kentucky in the second round. Tennessee State has enjoyed an incredible season they represent HBCU schools in the Big Dance. They’ll look to put up a tough fight against Iowa State, who has aspirations of making a deep tournament run. Our betting pick here is the Cyclones to cover a 25-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Iowa State Cyclones -25
NCAAB
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