The Iowa State Cyclones will face the Houston Cougars on Saturday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, for the Big-12 Championship. We're here to share our college basketball odds series, make an Iowa State-Houston prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.

Iowa State defeated Baylor 76-62 on Friday at the T-Mobile Center. It was 35-27 Iowa State at halftime. Then, they ran away with it in the second half. Keshon Gilbert led the way with 20 points while shooting 7 for 15. Meanwhile, Tamin Lipsey added 10 points. Milan Momcilovic had nine points. Also, Curtis Jones came off the bench for 13 points, while Hason Ward added 10.

Iowa State also shot 45 percent from the field, including 50 percent from the triples. Additionally, the defense was stingy, holding Baylor to 39 percent from the floor, including 20.8 percent from the three-point line. They won despite losing the board battle 39-27. Yet, they also forced 13 turnovers.

Houston defeated Texas Tech 82-59 on Friday at the T-Mobile Center to advance to the Big-12 Championship. It was 32-29 at halftime. Then, they blew the door off the hinges in the second half. L.J. Cryer led the way with 20 points while shooting 6 for 15. Meanwhile, Emanuel Sharp had 17 points. Jamal Shead added 12 points and 10 rebounds. Likewise, Ja'vier Francis finished with 12 points.

Houston shot 49.2 percent from the floor, including 42.9 percent from the triples. They also held Texas Tech to 33.3 percent from the field, including 31.8 percent from beyond the arc. They barely won the board battle, 29-28, including 10 offensive boards. Additionally, they had seven steals, which led to 16 turnovers.

The teams split the season series. Iowa State edged out Houston 57-53 in the first meeting, and then Houston beat Iowa State 73-65 at home. Iowa State is looking for its second title in four Big-12 tournament appearances. Conversely, Houston is looking for its first championship.

Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Basketball Odds: Iowa State-Houston Odds

Iowa State: +4.5 (-102)

Moneyline: +176

Houston: -4.5 (-120)

Moneyline: -215

Over: 126.5 (-105)

Under: 126.5 (-115)

How to Watch Iowa State vs. Houston

Time: 6:05 PM ET/3:05 PM PT

TV: ESPN

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why Iowa State Will Cover The Spread/Win

Iowa State did not score many points in either game against the Cougars. Ultimately, they have won games this season with grit. That is the plan here, too. Expect them to try and find little ways to win.

Gilbert will be the first player to watch. Unsurprisingly, he led the way last night and scored 17 points in his last showdown with the Cougars. Next, Lipset will be another player to watch. Lipsey produced last night. However, he struggled in the last battle with Houston, scoring only four points while going 1 for 8 from the floor. Tre King was solid last night. He also had a good game against Houston in their last game, notching 13 points while shooting five of eight. Momcilovic struggled last night. Moreover, he struggled against Houston last time, scoring only nine points while shooting 3 for 9.

While offense is one thing, defense is a whole new world. The defense was the reason they won last night and beat Houston earlier this season. But they also did the little things, like taking care of the rock. Conversely, they had 15 turnovers in the loss.

Iowa State will cover the spread if their best players can produce on the offensive end. Then, they need to clamp down on defense and make life difficult for the Houston shooters. They also cannot afford to turn it over.

Why Houston Will Cover The Spread/Win

The difference between victory and defeat was very slim. Yet, it mattered a lot in the end. When they beat Iowa State, Houston shot 42 percent but forced 15 turnovers. When they lost, they shot 38 percent and turned the ball over 16 times. It will be up to their best players to ensure they get things right.

Cryer has led the team all season. Now, he hopes to help them win the Big-12 title and avoid another bad game against Iowa State. Sadly, he managed just eight points while shooting 2 for 10 in the last game against the Cyclones. Shead was solid last night. Moreover, he was amazing in the last game against Iowa State, leading the Cougars with 26 points. Sharp continued to play sharp (pun intended) last night. Moreover, he tacked up 20 points in the last match. J'wan Roberts is the fourth and final piece to the puzzle. Yet, he only managed just two points last night and will need to do much better to help the Cougars win.

Houston will cover the spread if their four best players can have productive days. Then, they need to tighten up the hatches and play solid defense to force some turnovers. It would also help if they avoided turning the ball over themselves.

Final Iowa State-Houston Prediction & Pick

Iowa State and Houston both handled their opponents rather easily. Also, they both played each other pretty well in their respective games. Iowa State entered the fray as the seventh-ranked team in college basketball. Likewise, Houston is the top-ranked team in college basketball. Both will likely play in the NCAA Tournament. But this showdown is for the Big-12 title. It means something a little more. Expect this game to go down to the wire. While Houston probably has a little more to win this game, Iowa State will cover the spread, in what will be a tightly contested game.

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Final Iowa State-Houston Prediction & Pick: Iowa State: +4.5 (-102)