Saturday’s college basketball slate features four top-25 matchups, including a top-10 Big 12 clash between the No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks (19-5) and the No. 5 Iowa State Cyclones (21-3) at 1:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
Kansas is third in the conference standings with a 9-2 Big 12 record — one game ahead of Iowa State’s 8-3 mark. The Jayhawks are red-hot on an eight-game winning streak, while the Cyclones look to rebound following Tuesday’s 62-55 loss as 7.5-point favorites against TCU.
Let’s dive into the matchup, followed by a Kansas vs. Iowa State prediction and picks on PrizePicks.
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Kansas vs. Iowa State Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
The Big 12 rivals met on January 13, with Kansas rolling to an 84-63 win as 3.5-point underdogs. The Jayhawks are 7-3 in the last 10 head-to-head matchups, while the under is 9-1 in the split.
Iowa State’s been in plenty of low-scoring games recently, with the under 7-3 in the last 10 matchups. After failing to cover back-to-back point spreads, will the Cyclones knock off Kansas’ 7-3 against the spread (ATS) record from the previous 10 clashes?
Kansas vs. Iowa State Over/Under, Spread
Despite Kansas’ past head-to-head success, it’s a 6.5-point underdog, paired with a 3.12x payout to win on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Both defenses rank in the top 12 of efficiency, contributing to the low 147.5 total.
- Spread: Iowa State Cyclones -6.5
- Over/Under: 147.5
- Gamer Winner Payout: Kansas 3.12x | Iowa State 1.31x
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
Kansas vs. Iowa State Prediction on Spread
Kansas G Darryn Peterson, who leads the team with 20.5 points per game (PPG), missed Monday’s 82-78 win over No. 1 Arizona due to illness. The freshman phenom is expected to return to action on Saturday.
According to Bart Torvik, Kansas ranks 35th in adjusted offensive efficiency and ninth on defense. The offense has elevated its play by logging 79.0 PPG and a 49.1% field goal percentage during the eight-game winning streak. For context, Rock Chalk shoots 47.5% from the field this season (88th percentile).
Kansas knocked down 12 of 24 3-point attempts (50.0%) and reached 84 points in January 13’s matchup. The Cyclones rank 12th in adjusted defensive efficiency and give up only 64.9 PPG (98th percentile). However, the unit surrenders 23.7 attempted triples per game (41st percentile) and a 42.2% 3-point shot distribution (25th percentile).
The Jayhawks attempt only 21.0 treys per contest but shoot an efficient 35.4% from deep. The blue blood’s 3-point efficiency could pose more problems for ISU, especially with Peterson (41.9%) back in the rotation.
Bart Torvik also gives KU the best defense of this matchup, ranked ninth in efficiency. The Cyclones are in the 87th and 62nd percentiles of dunk and close-2 shot distributions.
Kansas F Flory Bidunga boasts an elite 5.05 Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating (DBPR), ranking third in EvanMiya’s metric. The defense sits in the 62nd and 87th percentiles for dunk and close 2s allowed. Iowa State shot only 37.0% from the field in the previous clash.
Kansas vs. Iowa State Picks for PrizePicks: Saturday, February 14
Kansas G Melvin Council Jr. and Iowa State F Milan Momcilovic could get hot from 3-point land, providing potential point picks for PrizePicks.
Kansas G Melvin Council Jr. vs. Iowa State Projection: 15.5 Points
- Council leads Kansas with 89 3-point attempts on the season, averaging 3.7 shots per game.
- The St. Bonaventure transfer has cashed in at least one triple in six consecutive games, and he’s totaled 16.7 PPG in his last six games — surpassing his 14.1 PPG season average.
- His volume is up over the previous six, recording 15.7 field goal attempts per game compared to 13.1 on the season.
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Iowa State F Milan Momcilovic vs. Kansas Projection: 16.5 Points
- While scoring against Bidunga in the paint could be a tall task, the Jayhawks allow 8.1 made treys (36th percentile) and 27.4 attempted triples per game.
- Momcilovic is one of the nation’s top shooters, totaling 3.9 makes and 7.5 attempts from deep per game. Plus, he sports an absurd 52.0% 3-point percentage.
- The junior forward recorded 21.3 PPG over the last seven games, converting 30 of 62 triples (48.4%).
- Kansas G Tre White could be Momcilovic’s primary defender, and his 2.29 DBPR is fifth on the Jayhawks.
Make #9 Kansas vs. #5 Iowa State Picks on PrizePicks
Despite Kansas’ recent hot streak, it’s a significant underdog on the road. Will the Jayhawks pull off another upset over Iowa State? Returning Peterson from injury is the first check mark, and KU holds a couple of potential advantages for Saturday’s clash.
Make your Kansas vs. Iowa State picks at PrizePicks, where you can earn real-money rewards for your predictions if you’re right. Just choose players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and follow the hoops action to see if your picks hit. You can make picks on winners, spreads, and over/unders on Team Picks, now available in 34 states.
Keep tabs on the Playbook for continued College Basketball predictions, picks, and news.
