The Big 12 will have one of this weekend’s featured games when the No. 9-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) head north to face the No. 5-ranked Iowa State Cyclones (21-3, 8-3 Big 12).
Kansas has rebounded from a 1-2 start to their conference slate by winning eight straight. Included in that winning streak is four Top 25 victories, spearheaded by Monday’s takedown of previously undefeated Arizona.
The Cyclones could be accused of looking ahead to Saturday’s matchup. After reeling off five straight wins, Iowa State dropped a 62-55 contest to TCU on the road this week for their first win over a top five team in more than two seasons.
Will Kansas earn a second victory over the Cyclones this season, or will Iowa State dominate this contest inside Hilton Coliseum? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for Saturday’s game.
Iowa State Cyclones’ Milan Momcilovic UNDER 16.5 Points
Junior Milan Momcilovic is proving why scouts believe he’ll play in the NBA soon. The 6-foot-8 forward is leading the Cyclones with 18.4 points per game, and he is averaging 3.3 rebounds and an assist each night.
When Kansas beat Iowa State 84-63 on January 13th, Momcilovic struggled to find the bottom of the net. He shot just 33.3 percent from the field, including a 2-of-6 showing from the three-point line. His 11-point performance is tied for his third-lowest scoring output this season.
Although he shoots over 57 percent from the floor at home, bettors shouldn’t trust Momcilovic on Saturday to have a significantly better performance. Expect the Jayhawks to focus their attack to stop him, keeping him from covering this scoring prop total.
Kansas Jayhawks’ Flory Bidunga OVER 8.5 Rebounds
Kansas was in a jam on Monday, missing freshman sensation Darryn Peterson. The 6-foot-6 guard is averaging 20.5 points and 4.2 rebounds thus far, but the Jayhawks prevailed thanks to a monster game from sophomore Flory Bidunga.
The 6-foot-10 forward posted 23 points and 10 rebounds against Arizona, his second consecutive double-double performance for Kansas. While Peterson is expected to suit up on Saturday, don’t discount Bidunga’s rebounding ability. Take him to cover this rebounding prop wager total against Iowa State despite having only seven in their first matchup.
Iowa State Cyclones’ Joshua Jefferson OVER 23.5 Pts + Reb
Senior Joshua Jefferson struggled in his first game against Kansas. The 6-foot-9 big man was held to 12 points and eight rebounds against the Jayhawks during their previous contest.
So why should bettors believe Saturday’s matchup will be different? Jefferson is averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest in home games, showing that this versatile senior feeds off a raucous home environment. Take him to do the same again on Saturday, narrowly covering his combo prop bet total.
Best Bet: Kansas (+6.5)
The Jayhawks are riding high, and they’ve proven their worth as a potential No. 1 seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament. Kansas also won the previous matchup against Iowa State handily, posting a 21-point victory over the Cyclones.
Hilton Magic is real. The Cyclones have all 13 games this year inside their facility, and Iowa State will likely scrape by again on Saturday. Scrape is the key word here. Expect this game to be close all the way to the end as Kansas covers their 6.5-point underdog status.
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