#5 Marquette vs #6 Iowa State: NCAA Basketball Predictions, Odds & Best Bets

Two great teams in the Big 12 and Big East face off in Ames, Iowa as the Iowa State Cyclones host the Marquette Golden Eagles. Shaka Smart leads his undefeated team into Hilton Coliseum, trying to pull off a huge upset against a Cyclones team that has figured some things out.

Marquette has looked rock solid all year long, including a victory over a 6th ranked Purdue team. They also went on the road and escaped with a win over Maryland. But now have a very tall task at hand.

The Cyclones had a disappointing first game in Maui, giving up an 18 point lead to lose to Auburn. However then they turned things on, beating both Dayton and Colorado. Back in Ames, I certainly lean with the Cyclones, but let’s really dive in and see where our coins will be!

#5 Marquette Golden Eagles vs #6 Iowa State Cyclones: Big East vs Big 12

Matchup Information – Marquette vs Iowa State

• Venue & Location: Hilton Coliseum (Ames, IA)
• Date: Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
• Tip Off: 8:00pm Eastern
• Broadcast: ESPN+

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of BetOnline, an industry leader in the sports betting world. Sign up today with promo code BNEWS for a 50% deposit bonus and $10 instantly in your account!

Spread

• Marquette +6 (-112)
• Iowa State -6 (-108)

Money Line

• Marquette +205
• Iowa State -245

Total

• Over 150.5 (-105)
• Under 150.5 (-115)

Could There be Hilton Magic in Big East vs Big 12 Battle?

The Golden Eagles are undefeated, life after Kolek and Oso is going fine, as Kam Jones is stepping up big time. He’s averaging 19.6 points, 4.6 boards and 6.3 assists for Marquette this year, shooting over 45% from deep in the process. Iowa State will certainly need to slow this man down, forcing other players on the visitors to put the ball in the hoop.

Here’s my problem with Marquette. Aside from a home victory against #6 Purdue, and an away victory against #31 Maryland, they haven’t faced anyone in the Top 75. Sure they have a Top 31 road victory, but Iowa State is #7 in the country on Bart Torvik. This seems like a wake up call to me, going on the road to face a much more battle tested Cyclones team.

Iowa State had their own wake up call in the Maui. They hadn’t played anyone before going to Hawaii, were bamboozled by #4 Auburn, and then handled business against Dayton and Colorado. After this matchup, they face a very bad Jackson State team, so there’s no worry of a look ahead for them. The same can’t be said about the Golden Eagles.

Marquette goes to Ames tonight against #7 Iowa State. On Saturday they play #36 Wisconsin at home, and then go on the road to face #48 Dayton. It’s a big of a rough non-conference schedule for Marquette going forward, and I think that shows tonight.

#5 Marquette Golden Eagles vs #6 Iowa State Cyclones Best Bets

Marquette vs Iowa State Prediction: Iowa State Wins, Marquette Covers, Under 150.5

Best Bets: Marquette/Iowa State Under 150.5 (-115) BetOnline

This is going to be sweaty Marquette likes to push the pace, ranking 62nd in possessions per game. They shoot tons of 3s, but not at a great clip, shooting just 34% from beyond the arc. They struggle to get to the free throw line, but do a great job of keeping their opponent off the charity stripe, so points with the clock stopped shouldn’t be an issue.

Marquette is a Top 10 defense currently, they force tons of turnovers, much like the Cyclones, but take care of the ball offensively. While ISU is also Top 106 in pace, they are also 6th in overall defensive efficiency. They rank Top 10 in turnovers forced and conceded, and don’t take very many threes at all.

Ultimately, I see Iowa State slowing this game down, trying to shut down Kam Jones, and winning this game on the defensive end. Give me the a very, very sweaty under in this game.

Still Didn’t Get Your NCAA Basketball Fix?

Here at Betting News, we offer Free Expert Picks for every major sports league. We also host daily streams on our Twitch Channel with our best bets, as well as sweat out games on Playback! Be sure to tune into everything we have going on at our Youtube, TikTok, and X pages as well.

For more College Hoops action, check out these pages below.

• NCAA Basketball Expert Picks
• College Hoops Betting Guide
• College Basketball Championship Odds

Check Out All of Our Resources at Betting News