The Iowa State Cyclones take on the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, IN. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET on CBS.
Purdue is favored by -4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of-224. The total is set at 150.5 points.
Here are my Iowa State vs. Purdue predictions and college basketball picks for December 6, 2025.
Iowa State vs Purdue Prediction
My Pick: Purdue -4.5 (Play to -6)
My Iowa State vs Purdue best bet is on the Boilermakers to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Iowa State vs. Purdue Odds
| Iowa State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -105 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | +175 |
| Purdue Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -115 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | -210 |
- Iowa State vs Purdue spread: Purdue -4.5
- Iowa State vs Purdue over/under: 151.5 points
- Iowa State vs Purdue moneyline: Iowa State +175, Purdue -210
Iowa State vs Purdue College Basketball Betting Preview
Iowa State Basketball
Iowa State seems to always enter the season underrated under TJ Otzelberger. He is one of the best coaches in the country, and he has another awesome team on his hands this year.
The Cyclones are 8-0, ranking 4th on KenPom with top 10 efficiency on both sides of the ball. Iowa State is forcing turnovers better than any team in the nation, and they are shooting a scorching hot 43.3 percent from distance.
Iowa State already has four high-major wins. They beat St. John’s 83-82 in Vegas, and they defeated Mississippi State, Creighton, and Syracuse by an average margin of 22 points.
Joshua Jefferson has taken a big leap for his senior season. The 6-9, 240-pound do-it-all forward is averaging 18.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He has had double-digit assists in his last two outings.
Milan Momcilovic has also been on fire to start the year. He is 34-62 from deep (54.8 percent), and he has gone 14-19 from three in his last two games.
Purdue Basketball
Purdue is a perfect 8-0 to start the year, with wins at Alabama, a 30-point dismantling of Texas Tech, and a 19-point win over a top-50-caliber Akron team.
It is no surprise that Matt Painter’s group holds the best offense in the nation through the first month of the season. Nationally, the Boilers rank 17th in assist rate and 6th in three-point percentage.
Braden Smith has picked up right where he left off last year, running this offense like a true maestro. He is 9th in the country in assist rate and is shooting 41 percent from deep.
Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff have formed a dominant tandem on the interior. Both players rank top 5 nationally in offensive rebounding rate. Cluff has been a perfect addition to the returning Purdue core. He is number one in the country in offensive rating.
Defensively, Purdue has been great this season, ranking 19th on KenPom. Last season, following the departure of Zach Edey, Purdue’s defense dropped to 53rd on KP. With Cluff manning the middle and CJ Cox providing stellar perimeter defense, the Boilers have really improved on that end.
Iowa State vs. Purdue Betting Analysis
In the past, I typically looked to fade Purdue against aggressive ball-screen defenses (like ISU's) that I thought could get the ball out of Braden Smith’s hands or force turnovers. He is playing at such an incredibly high level right now, and this Purdue offense feels impossible to guard at times.
Another key note is the Kaufman-Renn matchup on Jefferson. Jefferson is a walking mismatch, but TKR has the size and mobility to move with him.
On the road here at Mackey Arena against a top-20 defense, I would expect Iowa State’s three-point shooting to come back down to earth a bit.
Iowa State also prefers to run and play fast, but Purdue’s slow tempo (317th in pace) will force ISU to operate more in the halfcourt.
Plus, with Purdue taking great care of the ball this season (32nd in TO%), if that holds in this matchup, I expect Purdue to win and cover the number.
My Pick: Purdue -4.5 (Play to -6)
