Iowa State vs. West Virginia prediction, pick, college basketball odds
01/17/2025 03:02 PM
Saturday’s college basketball slate features conference play as we’re back with a betting prediction and pick for this next game in the Big 12. The No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones (15-1, 5-0 Big 12) will visit the West Virginia Mountaineers (12-4, 3-2 Big 12) in what should be one of the best games of the afternoon. It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Iowa State-West Virginia prediction and pick.
The Iowa State Cyclones most recently took down No. 9 Kansas 74-57 in resounding fashion to mark 12 consecutive wins. The win adds to their resume including victories over No. 5 Marquette and No. 25 Baylor, so they’ll be hoping to add another against a West Virginia team that was ranked earlier this season.
The West Virginia Mountaineers most recently fell to No. 10 Houston 70-54. It was their second loss in three games that broke a seven-game winning streak for them. They’ll look to propel themselves back into the rankings in what would be one of the bigger upsets of the college basketball season.
Here are the Iowa State-West Virginia College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Iowa State-West Virginia Odds
Iowa State: -6.5 (-114)
Moneyline: -275
West Virginia: +6.5 (-106)
Moneyline: +220
Over: 136.5 (-115)
Under: 136.5 (-105)
How to Watch Iowa State vs. West Virginia
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. PT
TV: ESPN+, Regional Coverage
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Iowa State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Comparable to most teams in their position, the Iowa State Cyclones put a relatively smaller lineup out on the floor and beat teams with their ball movement. They feature an extremely deep bench of players and each one of them is capable of catching and shooting from three in an effort to heat up. They play and extremely unselfish brand of basketball, always looking for the extra pass and usually finding the open man for an easy bucket. Guard Curtis Jones has been a magician with layups around the rim, so expect him to continue being aggressive with his scoring chances in this one.
"I ain't gonna lie, Iowa State isn't for everybody—if you don't really love basketball, you ain't gonna like it. You ain't gonna fit here, because basketball is all it is. We work hard as hell, so we know everything's gonna fall into place." – Keshon Gilbert to @SLAMonline. pic.twitter.com/j6yexz9p68
— CycloneFanatic.com (@cyclonefanatic) January 14, 2025
The Cyclones are averaging 16.8 assists per game as a team, top-50 in Division 1 basketball. They’re capable of letting the game come to them and can lean on different aspects like their three-point shooting or success in the paint to carry them through a game. The Cyclones have also done a phenomenal job on the defensive end this season, ranking twenty-second in the nation with 15.8 turnovers caused per game. Expect this team to hold a lead and grow it if they can find one early.
Why West Virginia Will Cover The Spread/Win
The West Virginia Mountaineers have been inconsistent over their last few appearances, but that shouldn’t deter them from the fact they were ranked as high as 21 this season. They also managed to take down Kansas and did so on the road for their hallmark win of the season. They’re shooting 34.5% from three this season and average 36 rebounds per game, matching pace with their opponents in this game. West Virginia will have to make up some ground on the defensive end, however, as they’ve lacked stops down the stretch in games.
ALLL Amani right now
ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/YpTBQEBmWx
— WVU Men’s Basketball (@WVUhoops) January 16, 2025
West Virginia will need to tighten their defense if they want a chance at winning this game. While they only allow and average of 64.3 PPG to opponents, they’ve allowed more than that total in their last three consecutive games. It starts on the defensive end for the Mountaineers and they managed to beat No. 3 Gonzaga in similar fashion earlier this season.
Final Iowa State-West Virginia Prediction & Pick
Given the betting lines, this matchup could be closer than people expect due to the defensive energy and home court advantage for West Virginia. Still, Iowa State has been battle-tested on the road this season and that shouldn’t deter them from playing their kind of game.
While they boast an impressive 8-1 record at home, the Mountaineers are just 5-4 ATS in those games. Iowa State posts a much better mark at 11-5 ATS and they’re a perfect 3-0 ATS in their road games this season. While West Virginia will battle back at points, I expect Iowa State cruising in the late moments of this game as WVU hasn’t looked like the same time from earlier in the year.
Final Iowa State-West Virginia Prediction & Pick: Iowa State -6.5 (-114)
The post Iowa State vs. West Virginia prediction, pick, college basketball odds appeared first on ClutchPoints.
