The Oklahoma Sooners finally broke out of a long skid last time out, but for pundits to believe in their ability in the NCAA Tournament, they need to string together some solid games. Oklahoma will look for another win to steady the ship when it hosts the Iowa State Cyclones in a Big 12 matchup this week that concludes the regular season.
Oklahoma has dropped to a projected No. 8 seed in March Madness after once being highly-ranked because of a recent six-game losing streak. Iowa State has not been very good this year and has to play on the road, so it figures to be a significant underdog in this matchup.
The Sooners would love to head into postseason play feeling good and this is the type of matchup that sets up well for that.
Don't miss the hardwood action from Chesapeake Energy Arena at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, March 2, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN2.
We'll have NCAA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NCAA Friday schedule.
Odds Analysis
Iowa State is 13-15 straight up and 10-15-1 against the spread. The Cyclones have only covered in two of nine attempts on the road this season despite often getting points. Iowa State is 7-11 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
Oklahoma is 17-11 straight up and 10-18 against the spread. The Sooners have covered in half of their 14 home games on the year. Oklahoma is 8-14 against the spread as the favorite this season.
Player To Watch
Trae Young —The Oklahoma freshman was the best player in the nation early this season but has struggled along with the team of late. He has fallen into a shooting slump, and not surprisingly the Sooners fortunes have dipped as well.
The point guard has still put up some big numbers on the season, averaging 28.3 points, 9.1 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. Young’s shooting percentage is down to 43.1 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from three-point range. He had connected on only 5-of-32 shots from downtown in four games before breaking out last time out with a 6-of-10 performance in a win over Kansas State.
When Young is going good, the Sooners are tough to beat, but teams have seemingly found a way to slow him down.
Last Meeting
Iowa State got the better of No. 17 Oklahoma the first time these two teams faced off on February 10th, winning 88-80 in Iowa. Now, the Cyclones hit the road to take on the Sooners, who have since fallen out of the Top 25, looking for another upset in this rematch.
The Cyclones were fueled by freshman guard Lindell Wigginton who finished with 26 points. Cameron Lard and Donovan Jackson both added 19 points apiece in the win for Iowa State.
The loss came in the midst of a tough stretch for the Sooners where they lost six straight and went tumbling out of the national rankings.
Free NCAA ATS Picks
Despite the earlier loss to the Cyclones and the other recent issues, Oklahoma is still the better team and gets this game at home. Have full confidence in choosing the Sooners to win this game in order to steady themselves as March Madness approaches.
Look for Young to have a big-time performance as Iowa State will have trouble keeping him in check on offense. The Sooners could be the right pick against the spread as well.
NCAA Odds: Oklahoma 86, Iowa State 74
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