- Iowa State looks to take down Houston as two and a half point favorites at home on Monday night.
- Joshua Jefferson has -110 odds to record over 6.5 rebounds in tonight’s game after averaging 8.3 rebounds per game in his last 15.
AMES, Iowa – A top five college basketball matchup is set for Monday night as #5 Iowa State prepares to host #3 Houston in a huge game for the Big 12 season.
#3 Houston vs #5 Iowa State Game Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | +2.5 (-115) | +125 | O 135.5 (-110) |
| Iowa State | -2.5 (-105) | -145 | U 135.5 (-110) |
Iowa State enters as a slight home favorite at legal sports betting sites, giving two and a half points to Houston.
It is expected to be a low scoring game with a line of just 135.5 total points at legal Texas sportsbooks, which is to be expected as Houston and Iowa State have the fifth and sixth best defenses in the country respectively, according to KenPom.
The Cougars come into the game on a six game win streak, having lost just one game since the beginning of December. The only two games they’ve lost all season were in Texas.
Iowa State has won six of their last seven after losing consecutive games for the first time all season in mid January.
Iowa State To Cover -2.5 Points (-105)
It’s difficult to bet against Houston in any case, especially when they’ve been so hot as of late, but Iowa State has been one of the best home teams in the country, going a perfect 14–0 through their first 14 games.
The Cougars excel at causing turnovers, limiting their own turnovers, and have held their opponents to just a 46% effective field goal percentage which ranks 11th in the country, but have a few glaring weaknesses.
First, their effective field goal percentage is just 52.4% as a team, which ranks middle of the pack in the country. They rank outside the top 100 in both two point and three point percentage.
Additionally, they rank bottom ten in the country in free throw rate while also sending their opponents to the free throw line at a higher rate than two thirds of the country.
Iowa State is much more efficient offensively, ranking tenth in the country in effective field goal percentage and shooting over 40% as a team from three in home games this season.
The Cyclones rebound well, don’t allow many free throws, and force turnovers at a high rate as well, which bodes well for their odds at college basketball betting sites.
Joshua Jefferson To Record Over 6.5 Rebounds (-110)
Iowa State’s big man has been dominant this season, posting averages of 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 39.4% from deep.
His line is set to just 6.5 rebounds tonight, likely because of the anticipated slower pace of play, but Jefferson should still be able to clear that line.
He’s snagged eight or more rebounds in 11 of his last 15 games, averaging 32.4 minutes and 8.3 rebounds per game during that span.
Houston ranks top 20 in offensive rebound rate, but allows a relatively high amount of offensive rebounds, ranking outside of the top 200 in defensive rebound rate.
