Iowa State Cyclones vs UCF Knights Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our UCF vs Iowa State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Ames.

UCF vs Iowa State Prediction

Betting on today's Knights and Cyclones game? Catch the action at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, IA, as the Cyclones hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 151.5 points, and Iowa State is favored by -16.5 vs. UCF in a Big 12 conference matchup.

UCF vs. Iowa State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UCF Knights at Iowa State Cyclones
Where: Ames at Hilton Coliseum
Date: Tuesday, January 21st
Betting Odds IOWAST -16.5, UCF +865 | IOWAST -1653 O/U 151.5

Knights Preview: Can the Knights Lock in a Road Win?

UCF Knights Recent Game/Games

UCF fell to 12-5 on the season after a narrow 69-68 loss to Houston on Saturday. The Knights were +13.5 point underdogs but managed to keep the game close, covering the spread.

UCF led 38-30 at halftime but allowed 39 points in the second half while scoring 30. The total points for the game were 137, just under the O/U line of 138.5.

Knights Offense Breakdown

UCF's offense put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 40.3% from the field and 30.4% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.2%, and they hit 64.7% of their free throws, going 11-for-17 from the line.

J'Wan Roberts led the way with 21 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 58.8% from the field. Moustapha Thiam added 18 points on 70% shooting, and Ja'Vier Francis contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 83.3% of his shots.

Knights Team Defense

Even with UCF giving up 16 offensive rebounds, they held their opponent to 69 points on 40% shooting. The Knights limited damage from beyond the arc, allowing just 7 threes on 23 attempts (30%).

Inside, UCF's defense saw their opponent hit 46% of their twos, going 18/39. From the free-throw line, the other team shot 64%, making 11 of 17 attempts.

Cyclones Preview: Can the Cyclones Deliver Being Favored at Home?

The Cyclones dropped to 15-2 on the season after a 64-57 road loss to West Virginia on Saturday. Iowa State entered the game as -6.5 favorites but failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 25-24 at halftime, the Cyclones allowed 39 points in the second half while scoring 33. The combined points of 121 fell short of the 136.5 O/U line.

Cyclones Offense Breakdown

Iowa State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a 43.9% field goal percentage. Their effective field goal percentage was 45.6%, largely due to hitting only 1 of 17 three-point attempts, a 5.9% success rate. Inside the arc, they shot 60%, going 24 for 40 on two-point attempts.

At the free-throw line, the Cyclones connected on 6 of 7 attempts, shooting 85.7%. They recorded 8 offensive rebounds and only 4 assists as a team. Javon Small led the way with 27 points and 7 rebounds, while Curtis Jones added 18 points and 8 boards.

Cyclones Team Defense

Defensively, Iowa State held their opponent to 64 points on 39% shooting from the field. The Cyclones limited their opponent's two-point success, allowing 13 makes on 29 attempts, which is 44% shooting.

From beyond the arc, Iowa State's defense gave up 9 threes on 27 attempts, a 33% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 14 times, where they converted 11, shooting 78%. The Cyclones allowed 5 offensive rebounds.

Knights vs Cyclones Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, UCF has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 90 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
In their last three home games, Iowa State has averaged 73 points per game while allowing 72. The team's record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Knights have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 4-1.
The Cyclones have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 4-1 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.