Big 12 Tourney – Longhorns vs Cyclones CBB Handicapping Prediction
Texas (19-12) has made it to the NCAA tournament 13 straight seasons, but they are currently on the bubble and if they lose this Big 12 quarterfinal their Big Dance streak may be in jeopardy.
Venue/ Stadium: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
Time/Date: 9:30 PM EST Thursday, March 8, 2012
NCAA Odds From: Bovada
Moneyline: OFF
Spread (ATS): PICKEM
Over/Under: 138.5
Texas Longhorns vs. Iowa State Cyclones Preview
Iowa State (22-9) should be a lock for the Big Dance and the deeper they go in this conference tournament the higher their seed in the NCAA tourney will be. NCAAB lines have this game as a pickem game with a total of 138.5.
In their last games Texas lost to Kansas 73-63 and Iowa State beat a ranked Baylor team 80-72.
This season Texas is 9-16-1 ATS with an O/U record of 13-13 and Iowa State is 18-8-1 ATS with an O/U record of 13-14.
Texas has won 8 of their last 9 games facing the Cyclones.
These 2 teams split the season series with each winning on their home floor.
Texas starting F Alexis Wangmene (4.6 ppg 4.7 rpg) is out for this game with a wrist injury.
Iowa State is led by the F/G duo of F Royce White (12.9 ppg 9.2 rpg) and G Scott Christopherson (12.6 ppg), who has been on fire lately averaging almost 22 ppg in his last 5 games. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
J’Covan Brown (20 ppg) leads the Big 12 in scoring and even though the Longhorns lost their last game against a top 10 Kansas team he blew up for 33 points. He and fellow G Sheldon McClellan (11.4 ppg) give UT a solid backcourt and if these guys can knock down the J and hit some 3-pointers the Longhorns have a great chance in this game.
Texas F Clint Chapman (7.2 ppg 5.3 rpg) has a tall task in this game, as he has to keep White off the boards and that will be especially tough without Wangmene on the court.
Iowa State ranks 3rd in the Big 12 in 3-pt FG% while Texas ranks last and the Longhorns have to keep the Cyclones from bombing away from deep, especially Christopherson who has buried 19 3-pointers in his last 5 games.
In some betting trends for this Big 12 quarterfinal match up Texas is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall, 0-5 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games, and they have an Over record of 8-3 in thier last 11 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Iowa State is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games, 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a S.U. win, and they have an Over record of 10-3 in their last 13 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.
Jason’s Pick: Texas is desperate for a win, but against a solid ISU tam they will not get it, as the Cyclones will win this game and cover.
