Baylor vs Iowa State Predictions, Picks, and Odds: Cyclones Disrupt Bears' Habitat

The Baylor Bears and Iowa State Cyclones will battle for the second and final spot in the Big 12 Tournament bracket final when they clash Friday night at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
 
The victor plays the winner of Texas Tech-Houston, the early game on the docket Friday.
 
Ranked sixth nationally, the March Madness odds contender Cyclones are just slight 1.5-point favorites against the Bears in the conference tournament odds.
 
In what should be a close and rugged battle, how should you be targeting your bet? Check out our Baylor vs. Iowa State college basketball picks for March 15.

Baylor vs Iowa State best odds

Baylor vs Iowa State picks and predictions

It was probably a little too close for comfort through the game’s first 24 minutes, but Iowa State used a game-defining 26-6 run to eventually put away Kansas State, winning 76-57 and advancing to the semis.
 
Iowa State’s marquee defense — second only to Houston in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric — helped force 20 Wildcats turnovers, converting them to 23 points.
 
It held K-State to just 38.3% shooting for the game and limited it to 6-for-18 shooting from distance.
 
The Cyclones were far from crisp, though, going a brutal 1-for-14 from beyond the arc themselves, though they offset that with 31 trips to the stripe, earning a +10 advantage, while pounding the Wildcats in the paint, outscoring them 44-24.
 
They’ll now focus on the Bears, who topped them 70-68 in the lone meeting between these teams in the regular season.
 
Baylor appears to have shaken off the rust, as they found themselves down 10-1 to start the game against Cincinnati. 
 
Down two at half, they finally started cooking against a Bearcats side playing their third game in three nights, outscoring them 44-30 to win by 12.
 
There’s a lot to clean up for the Bears, who finished shooting 40% from the field. One of the top 3-point shooting teams in the nation — hitting at a 39.8% clip — Baylor was just 5-for-19 from distance. 
 
It was their 3-point shooting that bailed them out against Iowa State in early February, as they connected on 12 of 23 attempts. That helped cover up a 20-turnover game, which Iowa State converted into 26 points. 
 
But Iowa State’s offense was an issue, as it shot only 39.3% in the loss. Ranked 71st in KenPom’s offensive efficiency metric, it will likely be the question dogging the Cyclones throughout March Madness: Can they score enough to win?
 
That will be something to worry about come the Big Dance. For now, their defense should be enough to neutralize Baylor and book a ticket to the tourney final.

My best bet: Iowa State -1 (-110 at DraftKings)

Baylor vs Iowa State same-game parlay

Iowa State -1

Under 140 (alt total)

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+170 at DraftKings

To complete this 3-legged same-game parlay, I’ve gone into the alternate totals, and bumped it up to the 140-point plateau.
 
Baylor is the second highest-scoring team in the Big 12, but after an uneven offensive effort against Cincinnati, Iowa State and their top-flite defense is not the get-right game.
 
Their last matchup came in Under 140, and this adjusted line should be enough to get you on the winning side.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Baylor vs Iowa State spread and Over/Under analysis

The line opened at a single point, but by Friday morning, some sites were offering the spread as high as 2.5 points.

This matchup will feature two of the best cover teams in the nation. The Cyclones are inside the Top 10 with a crisp 21-10-1 mark against the spread.
 
Just inside the Top 15 are the Bears, who are a sharp 19-10-2 ATS on the season. 
 
The total opened at 137 points at DraftKings but has since tumbled down to as low as 132.5 points at some sites, with books offering numbers everywhere in between. This is an adjusted homage to Iowa State’s defensive prowess. 
 
Both teams are right around the .500 mark with their O/U records. The Cyclones have hit the over in 15 of 32 games, while the Bears have a 16-15-0 Over mark.

Baylor vs Iowa State betting trend to know

Iowa State has covered the spread in eight straight games over Baylor. Find more college basketball betting trends for Baylor vs. Iowa State.

Baylor vs Iowa State game info

Baylor vs Iowa State key injuries

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