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Washington State vs. Iowa State Picks, Best Bet: Lipsey Showcases Playmaking Skills in Round 2

Rob Paul

Last Updated: March 23, 2024 4:49 PM EDT • 3 min 11 sec read.

Tamin Lipsey of the Iowa State Cyclones passes to Milan Momcilovic during the first half of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament championship game. We're backing Lipsey in our Washington State vs. Iowa State picks and best bet.
Tamin Lipsey of the Iowa State Cyclones passes to Milan Momcilovic during the first half of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament championship game. Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images via AFP.

The Washington State Cougars face the Iowa State Cyclones in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, as we offer our Washington State vs. Iowa State picks and best bet based on the best March Madness odds.

The No. 7 seed Washington State Cougars (25-9) narrowly survived a first-round test against favored No. 10 seed Drake on the opening day of the NCAA Tournament. They'll try to pull off another upset Saturday against No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones (28-7) at the CHI Health Center Omaha, with that game that tips off at 6:10 p.m. ET on TNT.

The Cyclones are among the top teams by the March Madness odds after winning the Big 12 Tournament and boast one of the most devastating defenses in the country while ranking second in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

To make matters tougher, they utilize a veteran guard combo that gets it done on both ends, a key reason Iowa State is a 6.5-point favorite at our best sports betting sites. Can the Cougars pull off the upset, anyway?

As part of our March Madness predictions, here are our best Washington State vs. Iowa State picks and best bets (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Washington State vs. Iowa State odds

Washington State (7) vs. Iowa State (2) best bet: East Region 

Tamin Lipsey Over 4.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +125 via DraftKings

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Iowa State has been known for its suffocating defense all season, and that's the obvious reason the Cyclones were able to conquer Houston and win the Big 12 Tournament. But T.J. Otzelberger's program can bring it on offense, too. The Cyclones did manage to drop 69 on Houston after all, and that's no easy task with Kelvin Sampson's team holding opponents to just 57 points per game.

A key to that upset win was Tamin Lipsey's ability to set up his teammates for buckets. Lipsey finished with six assists during the win over Houston, and he's produced at least six assists in three straight games - including the Cyclones' opening-round win during the NCAA Tournament against South Dakota State.

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While Washington State's defense is tough and limits teams to 66.7 points per game, the squad is allowing 10.8 assists per matchup during 2023-24 and 11.8 in Pac-12 play. The Cougars' struggles to slow down playmaking guards showed up in their win over Drake in the first round, too. The Bulldogs finished with 18 assists against Washington State, with starting guards Tucker DeVries and Conor Enright both notching at least five. 

That bodes well for Lipsey, who has helped the Cyclones average the 33rd-most assists per game in the country in 2023-24 (16.0). Lipsey has accounted for nearly one-third of those apples with his team-leading 4.9 assists per game.

Of our best sports betting apps, only DraftKings is offering player props on this game right now, but we love the value at these odds. A $10 bet would result in a $12.50 profit if Lipsey hits the Over. The odds imply a 44.44% probability of the Over hitting, according to our odds calculator.

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Washington State vs. Iowa State spread & Over/Under analysis

The Cougars opened as 7.5 to 8-point underdogs at our best live betting sites after coming back to beat Drake late in Round 1. Meanwhile, Iowa State has been one of the best teams in the country this season as a Final Four odds favorite, and this line could move another point in the Cyclones' direction before tipoff. Few teams have been better against the spread in 2023-24 than Iowa State at 24-10-1, while Washington State is a respectable 18-16.

Both of these programs are known for a feisty defense. As a result, the game total opened as low as 129 and has even shifted to 128.5 at a few of our best sportsbooks. The Cyclones are 18-17 to the Under this season, and the Cougars are even better at 19-14-1.

Washington State vs. Iowa State game info

  • When: Saturday, March 23
  • Tip-off: 6:10 p.m. ET
  • Where: CHI Health Center Omaha, Omaha, Neb.
  • How to watch: TNT

Washington State-Iowa State prediction made Friday at 1:20 p.m. ET.

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Written By:
Rob Paul
A diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Rob's passion for the NFL led him to the NFL Draft, which in turn sparked his love for collegiate sports. Growing up, he was particularly obsessed with the old Big East, MAC, and the Big Ten. That obsession led him to pursue a career in sports media, first as a local reporter, and now as a betting analyst. There's nothing Rob loves more than spending hours on the couch watching college football/basketball, NFL, NBA, or MLB, and hopefully hitting a few bets.