Houston vs Iowa State Prediction 2/22/25 College Basketball Picks Today

In this article, we will formulate a Houston vs Iowa State Prediction for this college basketball game on Saturday,  February 22nd, at the Hofheinz Pavilion. Let’s take a look at a Houston Badgers vs Iowa State Cyclones pick. 

This is the first meeting between the two teams this year. Last year in the Big 12 tournament, Iowa State secured a 69-41 victory. 

Iowa State Back on Track

All Iowa State needed was a few games against the bottom dwellers of the Big 12 to get the season back on the right track. Iowa State has won four games in a row, and the offense has the confidence. Two games ago against Cincinnati, they won 81-70, and in the last game against Colorado, they picked up a 79-65 victory. The Cyclones shot 51.1 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from behind the three-point line. They also went to the free throw line 31 times, and this is a team that has done a good job of getting to the line this season. 

Iowa State is still playing the classic trap defense, and creating turnovers is a big key to its success. The Cyclones had nine steals against Colorado. Iowa State has had 22 wins overall this year. Its defensive rating of 95 is the 15th best in college basketball. Curtis Jones has been the top player overall, averaging 17.2 points while shooting 43.1 percent from the field. 

Why Iowa State Will Cover Against Houston

• Iowa State has won each of its last four games against the Big 12 Conference.
• Houston has lost 10 of its last 13 games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents.

Can Houston Take More Control?

Houston has gone 14-1 during conference play, and a win here would almost be the final nail in the coffin for the Big 12 conference. Houston has won five games in a row, and they have the confidence. In the last game against Arizona State on the road, they picked up the 80-65 victory. At halftime, they were up 47-31 points. When you think of Houston, you think of the defense, but this might be their best offensive team of the last few years in terms of pure scorers. 

Houston has only four losses this season, and the offense is averaging 75.4 points per game. The defense can shut down even the best offenses, and they are giving up only 57.6 points per game. They are the top-ranked defense in all of college basketball. There are four different players that are averaging at least 10 points per game. LJ Cryer is averaging 14.5 points, and the most impressive stat for him is he’s actually shooting better from deep than from the field. He is shooting 40.8 percent from behind the three-point line. 

Why Houston Will Beat Iowa State

• Houston has won 18 of its last 19 games.
• Iowa State has lost the first half in each of its last four road day games against Conference opponents.

Houston vs Iowa State Prediction

Houston and Iowa State are both elite offensive teams, but this game will be all about the defense for both squads. Houston’s defense is giving up only 57.6 points per game, and I also believe they will be trying to keep this game slow. Iowa State has done a good job creating turnovers, and Houston won’t have their best offensive games of the season. Iowa State is going to find a way to slow down LJ Cryer, and this game is going to stay lower-scoring. This feels like a game that finishes 54-50. Back the under to cash here.