Iowa St Cyclones at Oklahoma St Cowboys
Gallagher-Iba Arena – Stillwater, Oklahoma
Tuesday, February 7, 2012, 7:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: pick
Current Line: OSU -2
Opening Total: 140
Current Total: 139
Opening Money Line: OSU -115 / ISU -105
Current Money Line: OSU -135 / ISU +115
The 17-6 Iowa St Cyclones are 7-3 in the Big 12, and are right in the thick of the conference race. The Cyclones are a game and a half back of first place Missouri. Iowa St wasn’t predicted to be this good at the beginning of the season, but used transfers to become successful. Of the 8 players in Iowa St’s rotation, 7 are transfers. The Cyclones have won 5 of the last 6 games, including 3 in a row. Iowa St won at Oklahoma Saturday 77-70. Now, the Cyclones travel to Stillwater to take on the 11-12 Oklahoma St Cowboys who are 4-6 in conference. The young but talented Cowboys have struggled this season with 8 freshman on the roster. OSU lost at home to Baylor 64-60 Saturday.
Oklahoma St leads the series 61-53 against Iowa St, including 35-13 in Stillwater. The Cowboys have beaten Iowa St 16 straight times in Stillwater dating back to 1988. Iowa St won earlier this season in Ames 71-68. The Cyclones were down 6 points with 3 minutes to go but came back to win on a 3 pointer by Scott Christopherson at the buzzer.
Iowa St is coached by Fred Hoiberg. The Cyclones have additional wins over Providence, Rice, Iowa, Central Michigan, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Kansas, and Kansas St. Iowa St has losses to Drake, Northern Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas.
Oklahoma St is coached by Travis Ford. The Cowboys have wins over Tulsa, Missouri St, SMU, Texas Tech twice, Oklahoma and Missouri. OSU has losses to Stanford, Virginia Tech twice, Pitt, New Mexico, Alabama, Texas, Baylor twice, Kansas St, and Texas A&M.
Iowa St is outscoring opponents 74-67 this season. The Cyclones are shooting 45.3% from the field, including 38.5% from 3-point range. Iowa St makes 67.9% of their free throws. The Cyclones average 36.4 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +3.4. ISU averages 14 assists and 12.7 turnovers a game. The Cyclones average 5.9 steals and 3 blocks a game. Iowa St opponents are shooting 42.9% from the field, including 30.4% from 3-point range. The Cyclones force 12.1 turnovers a game.
Royce White leads the Cyclones in scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocks, and is tied for the team lead in steals averaging 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks a game. Chris Allen averages 11.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists a game. Allen shoots 36.4% from 3 point range. Christopherson averages 11 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He is shooting 42% from 3 point range. Chris Babb averages 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals a game. Babb makes 36.1% from 3 point range. Tyrus McGee averages 9 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. He is shooting 44.6% from 3 point range. Melvin Ejim averages 8.8 points and 6.2 rebounds a game. Guard Bubu Palo is out until late February with a broken wrist.
Oklahoma St is outscoring opponents 66.7-66.3 this season. The Cowboys shoot 41.7% from the field including 31.4% from 3 point range. OSU makes 74.6% of their free throws. The Pokes average 34 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of -3.9. OSU averages 10.7 assists, 13 turnovers, 4.7 blocks and 6.2 steals a game. Cowboy opponents are shooting 40.6% from the field and 30% from 3 point range. OSU forces 13.3 turnovers a game on defense.
OSU guard Keiton Page averages 14.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. He leads the Cowboys in scoring, assists, and is tied for the team lead in steals. Page shoots 34% from 3 point range. Le’Bryan Nash averages 13.2 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Markel Brown averages 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.3 steals a game to lead the team. Guard Jean-Paul Olukemi is out for the season with a knee injury. He was the Cowboys’ third leading scorer averaging 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. Cezar Guerrero Brian Williams, and Reger Dowell all contribute to the scoring as well. Center Philip Jurick leads the Cowboys in rebounds with 5.8 a game and blocks with 2.1. At 6′-11″, he is the only player on the roster over 6′-8″ but he only plays around 18 minutes a game. He is questionable with a foot injury. Michael Cobbing averages 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game.
Oklahoma St is 11-10 ATS and the total is 9-11-1 this season. Iowa St is 12-7 ATS and the total is 9-10 this season. Oklahoma St is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 against Iowa St, and 5-0 in Stillwater. The favorite is 8-1 ATS in this series recently and the home team is 7-2. The over is 10-4-1 in the last 15 games, including 7-1 in Stillwater. The Cyclones are 5-0 ATS in road game, overall, and in road games versus teams with winning home records. 4-0 after a straight up win and a cover, and 12-2 in Big 12 games. The Cowboys are 7-0 ATS in Tuesday games, 4-1 after a straight up win, 36-16-2 at home, 3-8 after a cover.
Oklahoma St is a much better team at home. The Cowboys have a win over #4 Missouri at Gallagher-Iba. Iowa St is also better at home. However, both teams are inconsistent. I like Oklahoma St to win a close game at home.
