Iowa State-Ohio State Betting Odds: Opening Spread, Analysis for 2019 NCAA Tournament

#6 Iowa St. vs. #11 Ohio St. NCAA Tournament Betting Odds

• Spread: Iowa St. -6
• Over/Under: 141
• Date: Friday, March 22
• Time: 9:50 p.m. ET
• Location: Tulsa, Ok.
• TV: TBS

Iowa State's Statistical Profile

Iowa State’s Big 12 record wasn’t exactly indicative of the strength of this Cyclones squad, at least according to KenPom’s data. ISU went 9-9 in conference play, dropping home games to Baylor and TCU. They also, however, won on the road at Kansas State and Texas Tech.

The Cyclones ranked 19th in the country in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin, but were mainly led by their offense, which ranked ninth.

ISU’s leading scorer was senior guard Marial Shayok, whose 18.7 points per game ranks second in the Big 12.

Iowa State missed the tournament last season, but prior to that, had made six straight trips to the Big Dance. Over that span, the Cyclones went 8-5 against the spread in the tournament. Despite being a pretty good bet, their furthest run over the past seven years came in 2014 when they reached the Sweet 16.
— Danny Donahue

• Record: 23-11
• Adj. Efficiency Rank: 19
• Adj. Offensive Efficiency Rank: 8
• Adj. Defensive Efficiency Rank: 70
• Tempo Rank: 174

All advanced metrics via KenPom as of Friday, March 15

Ohio State's Statistical Profile

Ohio State’s had a mediocre season and was easily ousted by top-seeded Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. Though the Buckeyes cleaned up with an 11-1 record against non-conference opponents, they went just 8-12 in Big Ten play. Their season began with a bang, beating Cincinnati in their first game, but there haven’t been too many memorable moments since.

As a 5-seed last year, they beat South Dakota State in the first round of the Big Dance before falling to 4-seed Gonzaga in a high-scoring (90-84) showdown. Given their 270th-ranked pace, it’s unlikely they’ll be a part of such a shootout in this year’s tournament.

They’re looking for their second national title, which would be their first since 1960. — Mark Gallant

• Record: 19-14
• Adj. Efficiency Rank: 45
• Adj. Offensive Efficiency Rank: 86
• Adj. Defensive Efficiency Rank: 26
• Tempo Rank: 270

All advanced metrics via KenPom as of Friday, March 15

Iowa St.-Ohio St. Instant Bracket, Betting Picks

Iowa State (23-11) profiles as a team everyone will pick to go far. The Cyclones are the Big 12 Tournament champions and are the type of team that makes a difficult matchup. They're ninth in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency while ranking 33rd in fewest offensive turnovers.

However, the question remains whether they can stay consistent. The Cyclones lost the last three regular-season games before making a spectacular run in the conference tournament.

Ohio State looks like an easy opponent on paper, especially losing four of its past five conference games. However, the Buckeyes bring a great coach with Chris Holtmann and the return of big man Kaleb Wesson (14.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg). They also bring the krypotnite to the Cyclones' high-flying offense: Defensive rebounding.

The Buckeyes ranked second in Big Ten Conference play in limiting the opposition on the offensive boards. If we see the Iowa State team that won the Big 12 Tournament, this is a blowout. But if we see the Cyclones' team that ended the year losing at Texas and West Virginia? Watch out.

• Early ATS lean: Ohio State
• Early bracket pick: Iowa State — Randle

Sean Koerner's Iowa State-Ohio State Projections

Sean Koerner's proprietary projections also power our Bracket Simulator, which helps you find the most optimal bracket for your pool size.

• Spread: Iowa State -5
• Total: 137.5
• Proj Score: Iowa State 71.5 | Ohio State 66.5
• Win Probability: Iowa State 66.1% | Ohio State 33.9%