Iowa State vs. TCU Odds, Picks, and Predictions (02/15/22)
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Iowa State vs. TCU Odds, Picks, and Predictions (02/15/22)
Another Big 12 matchup is set for this Tuesday, February 15th, between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. The two teams are set to play at TCU with tipoff at 8:00 PM CST. Iowa State sits in last place in the Big 12 after a four-game losing streak, and TCU is dead center of the pack, trying to differentiate themselves to a top team. The teams have already met this 2021-2022 season resulting in a 59-44 victory for the Horned Frogs, and the odds are looking to favor them once again. Iowa State is desperate for this win to re-establish themselves in the conference, but TCU will make it very difficult for the Cyclones to cause an upset in Fort Worth, Texas. The game will be aired on ESPNU, so check your local listings or ESPN+, so you don’t miss this Big 12 showdown.
Iowa State vs. TCU Betting Odds
Although TCU is in the middle of the pack in the Big 12, they rank second against the spread compared to their conference competitors. They’ve covered 60% of their matchups, going 12-8-2 ATS. The Iowa State Cyclones are in the center of the Big 12 ATS, going 13-12. The spread for this matchup is set in favor of the Horned Frogs yet again. They are given a -2 point favor, leaving the Cyclones with a +2 underdog status. ESPN’s matchup predictor also favors TCU, giving them a 65.9% prediction of victory. The four-game losing streak might discourage many from seeing a Cyclones win, but you can’t count out the upsets they’ve pulled out in the past. Iowa State has successfully taken down the (previously ranked) #25 Texas Tech and #21 Texas Longhorns. The Cyclones have struggled taking losses from Kansas State and West Virginia as well, but they always have the element of surprise up their sleeves. TCU will be sure to be on their A-game when facing off against the Cyclones, so an upset will be extremely difficult, but never impossible. This game will come down to defensive pressure, but in the end, I expect TCU to emerge victorious once again.
My Prediction: TCU wins 65-56, TCU covers
Iowa State Cyclones Odds
The Iowa State Cyclones have been in a rough patch in the past few weeks, resulting in discouraged spirits and long losing streaks. They usually average opponents’ scores to be held to 63 points, but recent failed defensive stops have led their opponents to reach over 80 points. They still stand 16-9 overall, which is better than many Big 12 opponents, but their 3-9 conference record has forced them to last place in their competitive conference. Their downfall began with their 63-41 detrimental loss to the Texas Longhorns with their shaky shooting ability and lack of defensive pressure. The team needs to improve their gameplay for this matchup significantly, or they’ll walk away with an added loss to their losing streak.
It’s surprising to see the decline of this Iowa State team with a player like Izaiah Brockington. The senior guard averages a whopping 17 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. He outscores his own teammates by 10 points in almost every matchup. He shoots 46.7% from the field, which is 2% higher than his previous seasons at Penn State. Brockington runs this offense by his leadership ability and court awareness. Brockington has improved his point average to 18.5 points in the last four games throughout the team’s losing streak. His teammates are going to have to start pulling their weight on the team because Brockington can’t do it alone.
Freshman guard Tyrese Hunter is the second man on the team. He is the second-highest shooter, averaging 10.8 points per game, and leads the team in assists with 4.4 per game and steals with 1.9 per game. Hunter regularly looks for Brockington in the paint, which helps yield Brockington’s success. Hunter has also stepped up his game throughout the team’s losing period, increasing his average to 11.5 points per game. Hunter will need to step into a more dominant role in this matchup to establish a stronger offense against the TCU Horned Frogs before their season begins to slip away completely.
TCU Horned Frogs Odds
The Texas Christain Horned Frogs have been making strides to push for excellence throughout their season. They currently stand with a record of 16-6 in regular play and are 5-5 in conference play. Standing 5th in the Big 12 is a solid accomplishment due to the intensity of the conference, with four teams standing in the top 25 nationally. However, the team is inching to make themselves more dominant in the conference and are trying to climb the ladder in the Big 12. A win against Iowa State can move the team from breaking even to a winning record within the conference, so this game is everything if they want to prove to be a threat in Men’s Division I basketball.
In their last meeting with Iowa State, the team was completely focused on their defense. They were able to hold the Cyclones, who usually average 67 points offensively per game, to a mere 44 points. They held them to shoot only 30.9% from the field and 11.5% from beyond the three-point line while out-rebounding by 11 rebounds. If the Horned Frogs are able to apply the same defensive pressure, they should have great success in their second meeting with the Iowa State Cyclones.
In that matchup, Damion Baugh was the leading scorer for TCU, scoring an incredible 23 points and shooting 64.7% from the field. Damion usually averages only 10.9 points per game, but he has proven himself to be a weakness to the Iowa State defense. Although he’s not the overall highest shooter on the team, he will be a player to keep an eye out for in this matchup to see if he can have a repeated game and shut the Cyclones down.
The team’s leading scorer is actually sophomore guard Mike Miles. Miles averages 15.4 points per game but only managed to score five in the previous Iowa State game. Miles may put up large point sums, but he only shoots 39.6% from the field. His three-point average of 30.9 is almost equivalent to his overall shot stat. Iowa State will have its work cut out for them if they cannot seal the perimeter away from Miles because he will take advantage of any opportunities left available to him.
Iowa State vs. TCU Picks and Predictions
This game is a redemption shot for Iowa State. Not only do they want to redeem their losing streak and re-establish themselves in the Big 12, but they also want revenge from their 15 point loss in their last TCU matchup. TCU also has something to prove to push themselves to a winning record in the Big 12 and are attempting to overthrow Texas’ #4 position. If this game is anything like the last meeting of these teams, the under bet should surely hit. It all depends on how much pressure both teams will apply defensively and if Iowa State can recharge their once-threatening offense.
