Iowa State vs West Virginia Expert Prediction and Picks February 27
Iowa State vs West Virginia Betting Preview
The Goldsheet offers their expert prediction for tonight’s Iowa State vs West Virginia Big 12 battle from the James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA. Both Iowa State and West Virginia sit in the bottom half of the Big 12 standings heading into tonight’s game.
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Iowa State vs West Virginia Basketball Betting Odds
| Monday, February 27 | College Basketball Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Iowa State Cyclones -5 vs West Virginia Mountaineers |
| Total: | 134 Points |
| Arena: | James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA |
| Game Time: | 9:00pm ET / 6:00pm PT |
| TV: | ESPN2 |
Iowa State vs West Virginia Betting Analysis
At 13-2 overall and 4-0 in the Big XII, Iowa State had big hopes for the 2022-23 season back in mid-January.
Since then, the rose has come off the bloom in Ames as the Cyclones have gone 4-9 in their last 13 games, including a five-point loss at West Virginia. Turnovers were the story of that one as “Press Virginia” was able to force the Cyclones into 14 mistakes.
Iowa State’s defense is No. 2 in the country in forcing turnovers, but lost the turnover battle in Morgantown and put the Mountaineers on the free throw line 31 times in that February 8 contest.
Cyclones Can’t Muster Offense
Iowa State has lost five of its last six with most of the blame focused on the offensive side of the ball. The Cyclones have failed reach 60 points in four of those five losses, and haven’t topped 55 points in any of their last three.
Senior guard Caleb Grill has been battling a back issue, which saw him miss the losses at Texas and Kansas State. He returned last week against Oklahoma, but his impact was minimal (Seven points and one assist in 28 minutes).
Senior forward Emmitt Matthews scored a season-high 20 points for the Mountaineers in that home win over the Cyclones three weeks ago.
Iowa State’s defense finished No. 5 in KenPom’s efficiency metric last season, and they are No. 8 this year. But Bob Huggins has been able to shred the Cyclones’ defense over the past two seasons, scoring 81, 79 and 76 across the last three meetings.
Mountaineers Speed Up Game Pace
The Mountaineers have also been able to get Iowa State out of their preferred slower pace. The Cyclones are playing at the slowest pace in the Big XII this season, averaging 64.4 possessions per game.
West Virginia was able to speed them up to 72 possessions in that first game, which is the fastest Iowa State has played since hosting Saint John’s on December 4.
Iowa State vs West Virginia Expert Prediction
You’ve got two of the most aggressive defenses in the country going at it. Iowa State is No. 334 in the country in free throw rate allowed, and West Virginia is right behind them at No. 338.
There were 55 free throws in the first meeting, so it’s fair to assume we’ll see plenty more tonight. West Virginia is shooting 73.1-percent from the free throw line this season. Iowa State is shooting 67-percent from the free throw line this season.
The oddsmakers are giving us the better foul shooting team, with a five-point head start? Well take it. Grab the points with West Virginia.
Prediction: West Virginia Mountaineers +5
Additional Iowa State vs West Virginia Betting Analysis
Was the betting info listed above not enough or what you’re looking for? Steve Merril, Tony Finn and Matt Josephs gather to give their betting breakdown of this Iowa State vs West Virginia Big 12 game as the Cyclones attempt to bounce back.
Happy Hour Tip-Off Show | February 27
Get your daily fix of college hoops betting information with Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of handicapping guests that chat about their Iowa State vs West Virginia predictions and much much more.
The Happy Hour Tip-Off Show will broadcast Monday through Friday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT. Pull up a barstool and join us as we break down tonight’s college basketball card, including possibly this Iowa State vs West Virginia game, from a sports betting perspective.
College Basketball Stat Sheet
GoldSheet prepares a daily college basketball stat sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Monday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Iowa State vs West Virginia prediction and contest.
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