The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars and the No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones link up in the 2024 Big 12 Tournament final on Saturday. The Cyclones have won six of their last seven games heading into this contest. On Friday, they beat Baylor 76-62. Meanwhile, Houston is on a 11-game win streak. The Cougars blew out Texas Tech 82-59 in the semifinals.

Tipoff from T-Mobile Center in Missouri is set for 6 p.m. ET. The Cougars are 5-point favorites in the latest Iowa State vs. Houston odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 121.5. Before making any Houston vs. Iowa State picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the proven SportsLine Projection Model.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters 2024 conference championship week on a 145-104 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 28-18 (+820) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Houston vs. Iowa State and revealed its CBB picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Iowa State vs. Houston:

• Iowa State vs. Houston spread: Cougars -5
• Iowa State vs. Houston over/under: 121.5 points
• Iowa State vs. Houston money line: Cougars -229, Cyclones +188
• ISU: 23-10 ATS this season 
• HOU: 17-16 ATS this season 
• Iowa State vs. Houston picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Iowa State can cover

Junior guard Keshon Gilbert is an all-around playmaker for the Cyclones. The Missouri native averages 13.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. In the win over Baylor, Gilbert totaled 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Sophomore guard Tamin Lipsey gives the team an athletic, two-way weapon. Lipsey creates offense for himself and will jump into passing lanes to generate turnovers. He logs 12.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Lipsey also averages 2.7 steals per matchup. On Thursday versus Kansas State, he racked up 11 points, four assists and one steal. See which team to pick here.

Why Houston can cover

Senior guard LJ Cryer is the focal point of the Cougars offense. Cryer has the ability to get to the rim, but defenders can’t give him too much space on the perimeter. He averages a team-high 15.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and shoots 39% from beyond the arc. Cryer racked up 20 points and knocked down six 3-pointers in his previous outing.

Sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp has been another reliable asset for this squad. Sharp can score from all three levels on the court and uses his light feet to stay in front of ball carriers. The Florida native averages 12.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. In his last game, Sharp had 17 points and four rebounds. See which team to pick here.

How to make Iowa State vs. Houston picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 134 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine. 

So who wins Houston vs. Iowa State, and which side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $1,700 on its college basketball picks this season, and find out.