A battle of Top 25 teams take to the floor tonight in Big 12 College Basketball action when the Iowa State Cyclones play the Baylor Bears. The game is scheduled for a 9:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on EPSNu. Currently the odds for the game have the Bears favored by just a couple of points in this one.
Iowa State comes into tonight's game ranked 11th in the country; Baylor is ranked 22nd. Both teams have piled up 12 wins on the season and this should be a very solid contest between good teams. The Cyclones come into tonight's game pouring in 80.4 points per game, which ranks 15th nationally. Baylor comes in scoring just under 69 points per game themselves, and they're going to want to slow down the pace of this game.
The Cyclones love getting out and running up and down the floor, ranking second best in the country in assists per game at 18.4 while shooting 49 percent from the floor. Despite a couple of poor losses to Maryland (although Terps are very good) and South Carolina, the Cyclones have been on fire this season. Two straight wins in the conference over Oklahoma State and West Virginia have the Cyclones primed for this matchup on the road.
Georges Niang might be the best player in the conference and the acquisition of UNLV transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones has been massive for Fred Hoiberg and the Cyclones. Niang averages better than 15 points, almost four assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. Dejean-Jones is double figure every game guy as well, leading the team in rebounding from a wing position in addition to handing out three assists per game. Both will play well tonight.
Baylor absolutely has to slow down the pace of this game. The Bears rebound the basketball very well and will have to do so defensively to keep Iowa State from getting second chance opportunities. Rico Gathers brings a double-double every night, leading the conference in rebounding at 11.3 per contest.
The Bears have four guys in double figures per game and they're going to need the balanced scoring tonight. Iowa State can defend and if they can rebound the ball, they're going to be right there in this one.
Overall, we like Iowa State to pick up a win on the road. They're the better team, have plenty of weapons offensively and if they play the wide-open style of basketball tonight, they'll pick up a win over Baylor.
Free Pick: Iowa State 77, Baylor 70
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