In a battle of unbeatens, the Iowa State Cyclones (5-0) and 22nd-ranked UConn Huskies (7-0) will meet for the Phil Knight Invitational title Sunday in Portland at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Iowa State vs. UConn odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Iowa State stunned No. 1 North Carolina 70-65 in a Friday semifinal. The Cyclones, 5.5-point underdogs, rallied from a 57-49 deficit in the final 5:43. Iowa State G Caleb Grill sank seven 3-pointers (out of 11 attempts) and finished with a career-high 31 points. The senior only averaged 7.3 points per game (PPG) and was 4-for-24 from the 3-point line in the Cyclones’ first 4 games.
UConn defeated 18th-ranked Alabama 82-67 in the other Friday semifinal — the Huskies were 2-point dogs. Junior F Adama Sanogo led the Huskies with a game-high 25 points. UConn is averaging 85.9 PPG to rank 17th in the nation.
This will be a game of contrasting styles as UConn will want to push the tempo, while Iowa State will want to slow the game down a bit and make shots harder to come by for the Huskies.
Rankings courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+
Iowa State vs. UConn odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:51 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Iowa State +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | UConn -250 (bet $250 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): UConn -5.5 (-110) | Iowa State +5.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 135.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Claim your risk-free bet up to $350. Catch the excitement and start betting with Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
Iowa State vs. UConn picks and predictions
Prediction
UConn 75, Iowa State 72
Moneyline
PASS. Backing UConn (-250) would cost 2.5 times the potential profit, which is not worth the risk.
Against the spread
BET IOWA STATE +5.5 (-110).
UConn has had a great start to the season, opening 7-0 with No. 22 ranking its reward. At 5-0, Iowa State is also undefeated and coming off a monumental win over the No. 1 team in the country.
The Cyclones are a good team with wins over North Carolina and Villanova (81-79 in OT Thursday). After those tough challenges, they should be ready for this matchup with the Huskies.
Being favored by 5.5 points is too much for UConn vs. Iowa State. This will be a close game and will come down to the final possession, so this number is too high. IOWA STATE +5.5 (-110) is my FAVORITE PLAY.
Over/Under
With the expectation of tight battle that will come down to the end, I like OVER 135.5(-110).
As mentioned, UConn can score and Iowa State will have to play to the Huskies’ pace in this game. Don’t worry about the Under being 4-1 in Cyclones’ games, mainly because UConn’s up-tempo style will force it to go Over.
I also see a lot of fouling at the end of the game, which will send both teams to the line and help our Over ticket cash.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Want action on this basketball game or any other sports contest? Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, SportsbookWire’s official sportsbook partner in CO and NJ. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter. 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
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]