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Iowa State guard Curtis Jones shoots over Marquette forward Royce Parham. We're backing Jones in our Kansas vs. Iowa State prediction.
Pictured: Iowa State guard Curtis Jones shoots over Marquette forward Royce Parham. Photo by Reese Strickland-Imagn Images.

In a showdown between the two highest-ranked teams in the Big 12, Iowa State (14-1) hosts Kansas (12-3) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) from Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

  • Our Kansas vs. Iowa State prediction and odds expect the Cyclones to show why they're getting the third-shortest March Madness odds
  • While Iowa State doesn't feature any player in the Wooden Award odds race, the team boasts one of the nation's deepest rosters
  • The Jayhawks are a 6.5-point road underdog at our March Madness betting sites due to their inconsistent offense

Kansas vs. Iowa State predictions today

College basketball picks based on the odds from our best March Madness betting sites.

  • Against the spread pick: Iowa State -6.5 (-110 via Caesars) vs. Kansas ⭐⭐⭐
  • My best pick: Curtis Jones Over 2.5 made 3-pointers (-115 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kansas vs. Iowa State ATS prediction

Iowa State to cover the spread: -6.5 ⭐⭐⭐

Notching a seven-plus-point win against the No. 9 team in the country won't be easy, but T.J. Otzelberger's squad matches up well with Kansas. The Jayhawks' offense has been troublesome all season while ranking just 31st in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Even with the likes of Hunter Dickinson and Zeke Mayo, Kansas is just 124th in the country in points per game (77.3), and the team is one-dimensional with its inability to shoot from behind the arc. The Jayhawks are 266th in threes per game (6.9) and 219th in 3-point percentage (33.1%).

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That will allow Iowa State's ferocious defense - which ranks fifth in the country in D-Rate, according to EvanMiya - to focus on defending inside the arc. Even with a lack of size at the five spot to slow Dickinson, the Cyclones' offensive efficiency should lead to them doing enough against this stout Kansas defense to cover.

Iowa State is 10th in the country in points per game (86.2) and field-goal percentage (50.1%), and the team boasts four players who rank in the top 20 in the Big 12 in OBPR. Kansas features just one in Dickinson.

If the Cyclones cover for the fifth time in six games, a $10 bet pays a $9.09 profit.

Best odds: -110 via Caesars | Implied probability: 52.38%

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Best Kansas vs. Iowa State pick

Our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your area!

Curtis Jones Over 2.5 made 3-pointers ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A team's leading scorer rarely comes off the bench, but that's the case with Iowa State and Curtis Jones. The former All-MAC star at Buffalo has been taking a big step in his second season with Otzelberger's program, and he sits third in the Big 12 in points per game (17.3).

His shooting from deep has been particularly impressive, and he ranks top 10 in the conference in both threes per game (2.7) and 3-point percentage (39%). That's going to come in handy against a tough Jayhawks defense, though one that's a more susceptible unit on the perimeter this season. The team is allowing the 31st-fewest twos per game (14.9) but the 87th-fewest threes (6.8).

Jones has also been hot lately while going 6-for-14 (42.9%) from behind the arc in his last two games, and he's already hit three-plus threes in nine of 15 outings this season (60%). If he can do it again, a $10 bet pays an $8.70 profit.

Best odds: -115 via bet365 | Implied probability: 53.49%

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Live Kansas vs. Iowa State odds

See all of this week's college basketball odds and NCAAB scores.

Kansas vs. Iowa State opening odds

  • Spread: Kansas +6 (-110) | Iowa State -6 (-110)
  • Over/Under: Over 144 (-110) | Under 144 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Kansas +205 | Iowa State -250

Kansas vs. Iowa State game info

  • When: Wednesday, Jan. 15
  • Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET
  • Where: Hilton Coliseum (Ames, Iowa)
  • How to watch: ESPN2
  • Favorite: Iowa State -6.5 (-110 via Caesars)

College basketball betting odds pages

Here are our best March Madness betting sites:

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