Iowa State vs Houston Odds: Cougars Big Favorites in Revenge Game
Teams Battle For First Place in Big 12
The No. 10 Iowa State Cyclones visit the No. 3 Houston Cougars on Monday. The two teams are tied for first place in the Big 12 Conference with identical 9-3 conference records. The Cougars will be looking to make amends for a 57-53 defeat on Jan. 9. Iowa State has won four straight games. Houston is bringing a three-game winning streak into the game. The Iowa State vs Houston odds show the Cougars are favored by 9.5 points. The total in the game is 127.5 points.
Cyclones vs Cougars 
Location: Fertitta Center, Houston, Texas
Day/Time:
Streaming: ESPN
Cyclones Thrive on Defense
Iowa State’s surprising climb into the Top 10 can be attributed to its defense. The Cyclones are No. 3 in the country in the KenPom defensive efficiency ratings. They’re also No. 2 in the conference behind Houston. Iowa State is allowing 62.5 points per game on 40.5% shooting. The Cyclones are No. 1 in the country in forced turnovers. But they have to be, as teams are shooting 50.6% on 2-pointers in the conference.
Teams shoot a lot of 3-pointers against the Cyclones, with 45% of opposition shots from beyond the arc. Of the points scored in conference games against the Cyclones, 35.9% are from 3-point range. Iowa State’s biggest weakness is allowing too many offensive rebounds. The Cyclones are last in the Big 12 in conference games.
The Cyclones are pretty average offensively. But that’s been good enough so far. Iowa State isn’t a great team from the field. The Cyclones are shooting 44.4% in conference play. But Iowa State doesn’t make a lot of turnovers and is able to grab some offensive rebounds. The Cyclones don’t get to the foul line too terribly much, although that’s not a bad thing. The Cyclones are shooting just 69.3% from the foul line.
Iowa State has been delivering for sports bettors all season long. The Cyclones are 18-7 against the point spread this season. Iowa State is 5-2 as an underdog and 9-3 in Big 12 games. But the Cyclones are just 5-5 ATS away from home this season. Iowa State is 14-11 in totals this season, but 5-7 in Big 12 games.
Cougars Defense Best in the Nation
The KenPom rankings have the Cougars as the top defensive team in the nation. Houston allows just 37.2% shooting and 39.8% in conference games. The Cougars play an aggressive style of defense which leads to a few fouls. But overall, Houston is pretty solid across the board.
The Cougars rank No. 3 in 2-point and 3-point field goal percentage. Houston is No. 2 in the conference in turnovers forced and No. 4 in allowing offensive rebounds. The Cougars are No. 2 in blocked shots. Houston has overcome the loss of guard Terrance Arceneaux to the college basketball injury report. He was a solid role player who gave Houston a good 19 minutes per game and was solid on defense.
Offensively, Houston does what it needs to do. The Cougars aren’t a great team from the field. But Houston is No. 1 in turnover percentage and No. 2 in getting offensive rebounds. The Cougars typically don’t get to the foul line often. Houston is averaging 78.5 points at home and 73.9 points for the season.
The Cougars are a big-name team and have paid for it with higher point spreads. Houston is 12-11-2 ATS this season and 5-6-1 in conference games. The Cougars are 10-15 in totals, but 7-5 in Big 12 Conference games. Four of their last five games have landed over the total.
What to Expect
Both teams play at a slower pace on offense, so possessions should be at a minimum. The Cyclones are No. 11 in the Big 12 in time per offensive possession. The Cougars are No. 13. Houston had 11 offensive rebounds in the first game between the two. But the Cougars also had 16 turnovers. Both teams shot less than 40% from the field.
Neither team will be looking to push the ball here. Both are going to do what they do best and that’s play half-court offense and tough defense.
Who to Bet On?
The Iowa State vs Houston odds are a bit on the high side. But you can’t blame the sportsbooks for having a lofty number. Houston isn’t in a same-season revenge spot often. And the Cougars have also been a better team at home. But asking the Cougars to win by double-digits to cover the spread is asking a lot.
The Iowa State vs Houston odds on the total are pretty much what you would expect. The total in the first meeting was 129.5 and it easily landed under the number. So you would expect to see a smaller number here. This is the lowest total the Cyclones have seen all season.
The college basketball predictions had Kansas winning the conference. The Cougars were No. 2 and Iowa State wasn’t given much of a shot. The Cyclones have exceeded expectations. Houston really hasn’t, it’s more of question of Kansas not living up to expectations.
The total is low on this one, but both teams take a lot of pride in their defense. That should shine through in this game and the best play to make here is the under 127.5.
For college basketball odds, betting analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
