Two of the Big 12’s top teams collide on Monday when the No. 6-ranked Iowa State Cyclones (24-5, 11-5 Big 12) head south to take on the No. 6-ranked Arizona Wildcats (27-2, 14-2 Big 12).
The Cyclones are gunning for a top seed in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. To accomplish this feat, Iowa State needs to put behind them two recent losses at the hands of ranked BYU and Texas Tech.
Arizona is headed in the opposite direction. Kansas ended their undefeated season, and a second straight loss to Texas Tech threatened to derail the Wildcats’ hopes for a top NCAA seed. A four-game winning streak has steadied the ship for Arizona.
Can the Cyclones end their losing ways and hand the Wildcats their third loss of the season? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for Monday’s premier matchup.
Arizona Wildcats’ Jaden Bradley UNDER 14.5 Points
Senior Jaden Bradley has been a driving force behind Arizona’s phenomenal season. The 6-foot-3 guard is averaging 13.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists to help the Wildcats maintain their No. 2 ranking.
Despite his ability to command the offense, Bradley is struggling to convert his own opportunities. In six of his past eight outings, Bradley has been unable to top the 15-point plateau. Most of those outings have come against the Big 12’s best teams. That’s why bettors should continue to fade Bradley’s performances, taking the under on this scoring prop.
Iowa State Cyclones’ Milan Momcilovic To Record 3+ 3-PT Field Goals (-146)
Junior Milan Momcilovic has enjoyed his best season yet as a Cyclone. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging a career-best 17.4 points per game thanks to his red-hot three-point shooting. He has connected on 109 of his 214 attempts to average an incredible 50.4 percent from long range.
In 18 of his team’s 29 games, Momcilovic has recorded at least three trifectas. He’s notched that figure against top teams, including his 5-of-9 performance on Saturday against Texas Tech. Bettors should take him to finish with at least three triples on Monday, covering this prop wager total.
Arizona Wildcats’ Koa Peat UNDER 17.5 Pts + Reb
Freshman Koa Peat has played to his status as the season progressed. He posted 18 or more combined points and rebounds in 10 of his first 15 games. In his last 10 outings, however, he’s been shut down in five of those contests, posting as few as three combined tallies on the stat sheet.
Why should tonight’s big-time matchup be different? Iowa State has multiple older forwards who will give him a run for his money. Expect the Cyclones to keep Peat from being a factor, preventing him from finishing with more than 17 points and rebounds on Monday.
Best Bet: UNDER 149.5 Points
This game features two of the top defensive teams in the country. Iowa State is ranked 17th, allowing just 65.5 points per game. Arizona is ranked ninth in the country in defensive field goal percentage, holding teams to just 39.9 percent on the year.
Viewers should expect to see a defensive struggle between these two highly-ranked teams. The final score should feature both teams under the 70-point mark, making the 149.5-point combined total virtually a lock for Monday’s contest.
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