Houston vs. Iowa State Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Monday, Feb. 16

Tonight's Big 12 showdown between the Houston Cougars and Iowa State Cyclones isn't just the best game of the night, but it's one of the best matchups of the entire regular season. It's rare to get two top-five ranked teams face off at this point of the year, but that's exactly what we have in store for us tonight.

The No. 3-ranked Cougars are riding a six-game win streak ahead of tonight, while the No. 5-ranked Cyclones are coming off a dominant win against Kansas.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this marquee showdown.

Houston vs. Iowa State Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Houston +2.5 (-112)
Iowa State -2.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Houston +118
Iowa State -142

Total

OVER 134.5 (-115)
UNDER 134.5 (-105)

Houston vs. Iowa State How to Watch

Date: Monday, February 16
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
Venue: Hilton Coliseum
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Houston Record: 23-2 (11-1 in Big 12)
Iowa State Record: 22-3 (9-3 in Big 12)

Houston vs. Iowa State Betting Trends

Houston is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games
The UNDER is 5-0 in Houston's last five games
Iowa State is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games vs. Houston
Houston is 19-1 straight up in its last 20 road games
Iowa State is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games
The UNDER is 6-1 in Iowa State's last seven games

Houston vs. Iowa State Key Player to Watch

Kingston Flemings, G - Houston Cougars

Kingston Flemings is averaging 16.4 points, while also leading the team in assists per game (5.3) and steals (1.7). He's shooting an impressive 49.2% from the field, but he's coming off back-to-back uncharacteristically bad performances. He scored just 12 points against Kansas State while going 2-of-13 from the field, and before that, he scored only four points against Utah. Houston needs him to snap out of his slump if the Cougars want to win tonight.

Houston vs. Iowa State Prediction and Pick

In today's edition of Daily Dunk, I broke down why I'm going to back the Cougars as road underdogs:

The thing Iowa State does better than anyone else, which is a big reason for its record, is its ability to force turnovers. Creating extra scoring chances through turnovers is the best tool the Cyclones have in their toolbox, but I'm not convinced they'll be able to rely on that tonight. The Houston Cougars have the lowest turnover rate in college basketball, turning the ball over on just 12.2% of plays.

Not only does Houston not turn the ball over, but the Cougars are third in defensive efficiency. As long as they can score tonight, they're going to be able to nullify Iowa State's biggest strength and keep this game close.

Pick: Houston +2.5 (-112)

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!