Does a five-day hiatus guarantee that the leading team in the Big 12 will lose momentum? Will the BYU Cougars get an advantage from the brief recovery period following their ascent into the Top 4 of the Big 12? The Cougars’ eight-game winning streak features a road upset against the Iowa State Cyclones, and seeking another victory within two weeks may be audacious.
My predictions for the Iowa State at BYU matchup and college basketball selections anticipate an upset, partly due to potential limitations in the Cyclones’ rotation during their second game of the Big 12 Tournament. The tip-off occurs at 12:30 PM ET at the T-Mobile Centre in Kansas City on Thursday, March 13.
Which team will prevail in the matchup between Iowa State and BYU?
BYU has remained undefeated for a month. When filtering statistics to encompass solely the previous month—an inherently biassed decision as noted in the initial sentence of this paragraph—the Cougars are positioned as the second-ranked team nationally in barttorvik.com’s analytics, trailing only Duke. Specifically, BYU’s offence has ascended to No. 3, averaging 134.0 points per 100 possessions after correcting for opponents. Prior to February 13, it held a commendable rating of No. 16, although exhibited a deficiency of roughly 14 points per 100 possessions.
Iowa State is competing for the second consecutive day with a morning tip-off locally; any defensive slip will prove detrimental. The defence is often not a liability, although the Cyclones may be undermanned, which will only enhance these prospects.
Maintain the eight-game winning streak, despite BYU being an underdog at +145 on the moneyline at bet365.
Prediction for Iowa State versus BYU
My optimal wager: BYU moneyline (+145 at bet365)
Best of luck in locating dependable injury reports or updates during conference tournaments. As of Thursday morning, the availability of Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey for the Iowa State Cyclones remains uncertain. However, both experienced point guards exited yesterday’s victory against Cincinnati due to groin concerns.
They are officially classified as “game-time decisions” today. If either or both are constrained, life becomes significantly more challenging for Iowa State.
According to Ken Pomeroy, the Cyclones’ ten most utilised lineups in March have all featured Lipsey, who has participated in at least 97% of Iowa State’s minutes over the past five games. This is partly due to Gilbert’s absence in half of those games.
Gilbert’s recent influence may appear diminished; nevertheless, following his absence during the entire second half yesterday, one must consider: If Gilbert is unavailable, may the additional pressure further impede Lipsey? These two are closely interconnected.
Both players have participated in T.J. Otzelberger’s offence for three seasons, with their experience evident in their efficient shooting and commendable assist rates.
Lipsey participated for 41 minutes in a double-overtime home defeat against the BYU Cougars on March 4, underscoring his significance to the Cyclones’ offence. Gilbert participated for 43 minutes that evening, subsequently absent for the following game and contributing merely 11 minutes yesterday.
The victory may have been the most dramatic of the Cougars’ ascent, however it constituted the third upset among those eight games. Wagering against BYU at this moment is a dubious decision. Wagering on Iowa State with both of its experienced playmakers restricted would be equally dubious.
As of Thursday morning, bet365 has not to provide any player propositions for this game, presumably due to uncertainties around injuries. This restricts the possibilities when constructing a same-game parlay; yet, this variant still offers an inflated payout due to the paradoxical combination of a team total Over with a full-game Under.
The theory is straightforward: Iowa State’s offence will falter if either Lipsey or Gilbert is restricted, and each missed shot will enhance the Cougars’ opportunity to assault the Cyclones’ defence before it is organised.
This combination is likely to facilitate BYU’s scoring, partly due to Iowa State’s difficulties in scoring.
