The Arizona Wildcats take on the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames, Iowa. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Iowa State is favored by 6.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -258. The total is set at 151.5 points.
Here are my Arizona vs. Iowa State predictions and college basketball picks for March 1, 2025.
Arizona vs Iowa State Prediction
My Pick: Iowa State -4.5 (Play to -6)
My Arizona vs Iowa State best bet is on the Cyclones spread, with the best odds currently available at XXX. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Arizona vs Iowa State Odds
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -118 | 151.5 -105o / -115u | +210 |
| Iowa State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -102 | 151.5 -105o / -115u | -258 |
- Arizona vs Iowa State spread: Iowa State -6.5
- Arizona vs Iowa State over/under: 151.5 points
- Arizona vs Iowa State moneyline: Iowa State -258, Arizona +210
- Arizona vs Iowa State best bet: Iowa State -4.5 (Play to -6)
Spread
This looks like a great spot for Iowa State, and when healthy, the Cyclones have been the better team. I'm taking Iowa State at home with Hilton Magic on its side.
Moneyline
I do lean towards Iowa State having some moneyline value here, if paired with another solid moneyline favorite to cut down the juice.
Over/Under
I have no take on the total — I just don't have a great read on the tempo/efficiency blend.
My Pick: Iowa State -4.5 (Play to -6)
Arizona vs Iowa State College Basketball Betting Preview
Arizona Basketball
Losing two straight home games in Tucson was shocking, especially last Saturday’s controversial defeat at the hands of BYU.
But the Wildcats righted the ship this week, dominating interim coach-led Utah on Wednesday.
Arizona now heads to Hilton Coliseum for the first time since 2018, seeking its 20th win and a huge seeding boost for the NCAA Tournament.
Tommy Lloyd recently made a significant change to the starting lineup, inserting Estonian center Henri Veesaar alongside bruising Tobe Awaka to give Arizona an extremely imposing frontcourt duo.
Veesaar and Awaka are the Wildcats’ two best rebounders, and Arizona has been an absolute wrecking ball on the boards.
Per CBB Analytics, when those two share the floor, Arizona gobbles up 45.8% of available offensive rebounds, a thoroughly absurd rate that easily surpasses Texas A&M’s nation-leading 41.8%.
The Wildcats have also outscored opponents by 28.4 points per 100 possessions in the 118 minutes the two have shared the court, a growing sample that indicates the upside of that physical pairing.
Arizona’s backcourt remains the driving force behind the team’s success, though. Caleb Love has had his usual ups and downs, but on the whole, he's been a major contributor to winning via his shot creation for both himself and others.
Point guard Jaden Bradley has also been a key piece, rarely leaving the floor and bring outstanding slashing and elite defense on a nightly basis.
If there’s one glaring weakness for the Cats, it’s their ability to space the floor in the half-court. Love is erratic, and Bradley and wing KJ Lewis are essentially non-shooters. That makes Anthony Dell’Orso and Carter Bryant especially important, as they have real shot-making ability.
Iowa State Basketball
Two burning questions are at the forefront of basketball minds in Ames. The first: Can the Cyclones, and specifically Keshon Gilbert, get back to full health in short order?
Gilbert has has missed two games with a hip injury, and Curtis Jones recently returned from a brief illness-related absence. Milan Momcilovic has only been back for six games after missing nearly a month.
The second concern builds on the first: If the Cyclones can get everyone back to full strength, will they rediscover the early-season form they showed in starting off 14-1 (with the only loss coming by a basket to Auburn)?
It’s possible Iowa State can answer “yes” to the first question on Saturday. Gilbert is hoping to make his return, giving coach T.J. Otzelberger his full contingent of players once again.
That allows Iowa State to explore the second question.
When firing on all cylinders, this Iowa State team is a two-way force capable of putting on massive runs in a hurry thanks to lethal scorers and a feverish ability to force turnovers.
Gilbert, Jones and Tamin Lipsey is a tremendous backcourt trifecta, featuring a dynamite blend of shot-making, slashing and elite on-ball defense.
While the Cyclones’ guards have garnered most of the headlines, the frontcourt is full of unsung heroes.
Joshua Jefferson’s interior scoring and passing has helped optimize the guards’ scoring. And Dishon Jackson and Brandton Chatfield have each provided elite offensive rebounding and a stout presence at the bucket.
Iowa State will also benefit from being back in the friendly confines of Hilton Coliseum, where the Cyclones are 14-1 this year, including key wins over Kansas, Marquette, Baylor and Cincinnati.
Arizona vs. Iowa State Betting Analysis
This much-anticipated rematch can't be properly handicapped without referencing the first meeting in Tucson.
Iowa State had Arizona beat, leading by three in the final minute. But a miracle Love half-courter sent the game to overtime, where the home Cats finally took control of the game with a 15-2 run.
That stunning defeat is certainly going to be on the Cyclones’ mind on Saturday. This handicap is more complex than simple “revenge,” but it's certainly going to be a motivating factor for the home squad.
That first matchup was about as even as it gets. Both teams shot 51% inside the arc, and the rebounding battle narrowly went to Arizona, 40-39.
The Wildcats also had slightly fewer turnovers (15) than the visiting Cyclones (18). Notably, Momcilovic didn't suit up for that one, and Iowa State’s perimeter shooting suffered as a result; the Cyclones went 7-of-24 (29.2%) from deep.
Momcilovic’s return could open up the court even more for the Cyclones squad. He has the best net rating on the team, per CBB Analytics, and the offense is 11.5 points better per 100 possessions when he's on the court.
It's tough to fully trust Iowa State without knowing Gilbert’s final status. But the spot is ripe: back home at Hilton Coliseum, with revenge on the mind, off two losses, facing a team that's traveling this far northeast for just the third time this season.
Plus, this is a stout rebounding team that's already proven it can battle with this Wildcats’ frontcourt, negating a key Arizona edge.
Give me the Clones and Hilton Magic up to -6.
