The No. 6-ranked Iowa State Cyclones travel to Provo tonight to take on the No. 23 BYU Cougars.
My Iowa State vs. BYU predictions back the Cyclones to capitalize on a Cougars team that just lost All-Big 12 guard Richie Saunders to a season-ending injury.
Here are my top free college basketball picks for this Big 12 matchup on Saturday, February 21.
Iowa State vs BYU prediction
Iowa State vs BYU best bet: Iowa State -2.5 (-110)
The Iowa State Cyclones are 23-3 after wins against No. 2 Houston and No. 8 Kansas.
Meanwhile, the BYU Cougars have struggled since Richie Saunders tore his ACL last weekend. They needed 39 points from Rob Wright just to edge a subpar Colorado team at home, and the Cougars only avoided a blowout against Arizona thanks to AJ Dybantsa’s 35-point eruption.
BYU's depth was already thin after sixth man Dallin Hall suffered a season-ending injury, and losing Saunders — its heart and soul — is a major blow. Unless Dybantsa and Wright deliver outlier performances to carry a mediocre supporting cast, Iowa State will roll.
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Iowa State vs BYU same-game parlay
BYU ranks 14th in the conference in adjusted defense, and its up-tempo style should create plenty of scoring opportunities for Iowa State. That makes Cyclones point guard Tamin Lipsy a strong bet to surpass 4.5 assists, something he's done in 15 of 23 games this season.
The Cougars have allowed opponents to shoot a scorching 41.2% from three over the past month. That should open the door for Milan Momcilovic (18.0 ppg), who drains 3.8 triples per game at a 51.3% clip.
Iowa State vs BYU SGP
- Iowa State -2.5
- Tamin Lipsey Over 4.5 assists
- Killyan Toure Over 0.5 threes
Our beyond the arc SGP: Cyclone Storm
BYU's piss-poor perimeter defense should also result in plenty of points for Milan Momcilovic (18.0 ppg), who knocks down 3.8 threes per game at a 51.3% rate.
The Cougars also lack talent on the interior, which should lead to Joshua Jefferson (7.5 rpg) clearing his rebounding total.
Iowa State vs BYU SGP
- Iowa State -2.5
- Tamin Lipsey Over 4.5 assists
- Killyan Toure Over 0.5 threes
- Milan Momcilovic Over 18.5 points
- Joshua Jefferson Over 6.5 rebounds
Iowa State vs BYU odds
- Spread: Iowa State +2.5 (-110) | BYU -2.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Iowa State -165 | BYU +140
- Over/Under: Over 154 (-110) | Under 154 (-110)
Iowa State vs BYU betting trend to know
The Cougars have only covered the first-half spread in eight of their last 25 games (-11.75 Units / -40% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Iowa State vs. BYU.
How to watch Iowa State vs BYU
| Location | Marriott Center, Provo, UT |
| Date | Saturday, February 21, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Iowa State vs BYU key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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