The Iowa State Cyclones take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, KS. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Kansas is favored by 3 points on the spread with a moneyline of -155. The total is set at 145.5 points.
Here are my Iowa State vs. Kansas predictions and college basketball picks for February 3, 2025.
Iowa State vs Kansas Prediction
My Pick: Kansas -2.5 (Play to -3)
My Iowa State vs Kansas best bet is on the Jayhawks spread, with the best odds currently available at BetMGM. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Iowa State vs Kansas Odds, Lines
| Iowa State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 147 -110 / -110 | +125 |
| Kansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 147 -110 / -110 | -150 |
- Iowa State vs Kansas spread: Kansas -2.5
- Iowa State vs Kansas over/under: 147 points
- Iowa State vs Kansas moneyline: Kansas -150, Iowa State +125
- Iowa State vs Kansas best bet: Kansas -2.5 (Play to -3)
My Iowa State vs Kansas NCAAB Betting Preview
Kansas and Iowa State were ranked first and third, respectively, in the Preseason Big 12 Poll. With about a month (and change) left in the regular season, the Jayhawks and Cyclones sit at fifth and fourth, respectively, in the conference, with turbulence currently nagging both programs.
First is Kansas, which is still figuring out its lineups at the start of February. Hunter Dickinson, Zeke Mayo and Dajuan Harris Jr. have been the consistent forces for the Jayhawks, but AJ Storr, Rylan Griffen, KJ Adams Jr., Shakeel Moore and Flory Bidunga have all seen their roles change drastically since November.
Right now, Bill Self's team has been relying heavily on its defense (fifth in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency metric) and rebounding (37th in boards per game).
In the last three games, Kansas lost at home in a double-overtime thriller to Houston, barley escaped against UCF and blew a 19-point halftime lead to lose by 11 on the road at Baylor.
The Jayhawks, shockingly, have already lost two games at Allen Fieldhouse this season (the aforementioned Houston game and against West Virginia).
Meanwhile, on the flip side, the Cyclones have struggled to find their rhythm without Milan Momcilovic, who underwent hand surgery and has no clear timetable for a return. Iowa State has lost two straight, including a concerning 19-point home defeat to Kansas State this past Saturday.
Maybe the Clones were looking ahead to this critical battle, but defenses have been able to pack the paint without Momcilovic in the lineup.
Whether it's the fact that opposing teams are able to focus in more on Curtis Jones or whether it's just a shooting slump, the Clones' leading scorer is just 5-of-26 over the last two outings. That'll need to change if Iowa State has any chance of winning this game.
That brings us to my best bet for this top-25 clash, which is Kansas against the spread.
The Jayhawks got blown out against the Cyclones, 74-57, in their first meeting this season, so this sets up as a revenge game and an opportunity to turn things around after collapsing against Baylor. Also, Iowa State hasn't swept Kansas in the regular season since 2000-21 and hasn't won at the Phog since 2016-17.
Most importantly, I think Iowa State is currently a bit overvalued. The Clones have good depth, a well-rounded team and solid coaching, but without Momcilovic, defenses have a much easier time adjusting to the offensive attack.
Kansas has advantages on that end of the floor and on the glass. Plus, the Jayhawks have lost three home games in a season just once since 2000.
