Kentucky (7) vs. Iowa State (2) Bracket Prediction: March Madness Odds
After hitting perhaps the shot of the tournament so far, and surviving an overtime thriller in the first round, seventh-seeded Kentucky takes on No. 2 seed Iowa State in a Midwest Region second-round contest on Sunday in St. Louis at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Otega Oweh’s near-half-court buzzer beater sent the Wildcats’ first-round game against Santa Clara into overtime, and his two free throws gave Kentucky the lead for good in an 89-84 victory. The Cyclones got contributions from just about everyone in a dominating, 108-74 victory over overmatched Tennessee State on Friday. However, Iowa State may have lost perhaps its best player in Joshua Jefferson, who left early in the contest with what turned out to be a sprained ankle.
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Iowa State Cyclones NCAA Tournament Point Spread and Betting
Iowa State opens as a 4.5-point favourite on the March Madness odds and is listed at -220 on the moneyline, while Kentucky is a decided +180 underdog. The Over/Under is currently set at 146 points.
The Wildcats have gone 10-4 against the spread in their last 14 games, but they are 2-9 straight up as a dog this season. They have also played to the Over in five of seven. Iowa State is 4-1 straight up and 5-0 against the spread in its last five games. The Cyclones have played to the Under in 13 of 20.
Kentucky Wildcats (7)
Oweh, who has been everything Kentucky could ever ask for in his two seasons since transferring from Oklahoma, was all that and more on Friday. He had a career-best 35 points, to go with eight rebounds and seven assists. Denzel Aberdeen, who was on Florida’s title-winning squad last year, added 16 points, while Mohamed Dioubated contributed 17 points and eight assists.
This 22-win Kentucky squad is battle-tested with 14 games against ranked teams, but they only went 5-9 in those games. Oweh is everything. He and Aberdeen are the only players averaging in double figures, and Oweh is averaging 22.9 points per game in his last 10 contests, more than four points more than his season average. He has scored 23 or more seven times during that span.
Iowa State Cyclones (2)
The Cyclones’ depth was displayed prominently during the first-round blowout. With Jefferson (16.9 PPG, 7.6 REB, and 4.9 AST) out, and veteran point guard Tamin Lipsey (three points on 1-6 shooting) ineffective, Iowa State still managed 108 points, the most of any team in the first round. Killyan Toure stepped up big time with a career-best 25 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Milan Momcilovic chipped in with 17 points, and Nate Heise had a season-high 22 points off the bench.
This is a high-scoring squad that is also stingy defensively, allowing just 65.1 points per game, 11th best in the nation. However, Jefferson’s presence is a priority. If he is out, Iowa State can obviously still win, but the margin for error decreases considerably.
March Madness Prediction: Who Will Win Kentucky vs. Iowa State?
With or without Jefferson, the Cyclones are still well-stocked for a second-round battle with Kentucky, which is making its record 63rd tournament appearance shorthanded, with just 10 scholarship players.
Oweh will have to play just as good as he did in the first round, and it probably still won’t be enough. Look for the Cyclones to advance, 78-72.
