Thursday’s Sweet 16 action brought upsets of No. 1 seeds Gonzaga and Arizona. So, who’s next?
After looking at NCAA Tournament odds and lines, here is Friday’s best Sweet 16 upset pick among our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Friday’s games include a blowout favorite (No. 3 seed Purdue by 12.5 points over No. 15 seed St. Peter’s ), a touchdown favorite (No. 1 seed Kansas by 7.5 over fourth-seeded Providence), and two one-possession lines (No. 4 seed UCLA by 2.5 over No. 8 seed North Carolina, and 10th-seeded Miami by 2.5 over No. 11 seed Iowa State ). That final game of the night is the most intriguing, and the mercurial Cyclones make for a solid straight-up upset play.
See also: Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports
Friday’s best Sweet 16 upset pick
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at x:xx a.m. ET.
Iowa State +2.5 (-107) vs. Miami – 8:59 p.m. ET
ISU went 7-11 in a strong Big 12 field during the regular season. The Cyclones were then bounced by current-No. 11 Texas Tech in their league-tourney opener. After a week off, Iowa State returned to action with an 59-54 upset win over analytics darling LSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament (March 18). The Cyclones then defeated No. 3 seed Wisconsin 54-49 in another low-scoring tussle to advance to this Midwest Region semifinal in Chicago.
Iowa State is certainly no offensive juggernaut. The Cyclones shot 34% over its three postseason games, but they play an elite-level, ballhawking defense. While, Miami does take care of the basketball, it figures to be challenged by this veteran ISU defense, which is adept at creating turnovers. Against very good competition, Iowa State has forced over 15 turnovers per game over its last five.
[tipico]
If ISU can get some turnover-transition buckets and haul down a fair number of offensive rebounds (against a down-trending-on-the-boards Hurricane five), the Cyclones could very well be in front down the stretch. On offense, Iowa State is solid around the rim, and that’s a point of differential in this matchup. UM’s interior defense is nothing special.
The 2021-22 Cyclones have been a team of winning and losing streaks. IOWA STATE IS A SOLID PLAY ATS (+2.5, -107) and on the MONEY LINE (ISU +125).
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]
