Iowa State's Odds to Win March Madness Entering Sweet 16 (Cyclones Are Underrated in National Championship Odds)

The Iowa State Cyclones still don't know if they'll have Joshua Jefferson back in the lineup moving forward, after their star forward hurt his ankle in their Round of 64 win against Tennessee State. Even with that being the case, the Cyclones should be looked at as legitimate contenders to win the National Championship.

Let's take a look at their odds to win it all heading into the Sweet 16.

Iowa State's Odds to Win March Madness Entering Sweet 16

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Iowa State +1700 (seventh-best odds)

Iowa State is seventh on the odds board to win the National Championship at +1700, an implied probability of 5.56%. They are firmly in the second tier of teams on the odds list. UConn is eighth on the odds list, but there's a wide gap between the Cyclones and the Huskies, with UConn at +2500.

Iowa State finished third in the Big 12, but has a strong resume of impressive victories. The Cyclones defeated St. John's, Purdue, Kansas, Houston, and Texas Tech. They also took Arizona down to the wire in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals, losing on a buzzer-beater.

The Cyclones rank 16th in effective field goal percentage and fourth in defensive efficiency, but what makes Iowa State stick out is the fact that the Cyclones force turnovers at an unbelievably high rate. They rank fourth in the country and first amongst remaining tournament teams in opponent turnovers per possession, forcing a turnover 22% of the time when they're on defense. That unique skill leads to them creating +7.5 extra scoring chances per game.

If I'm going to point out their strengths, I have to point out the fact that they have a glaring weakness. They hit their free throws at a rate of just 67.7%, which ranks 330th in the country. Not being consistent from the foul line could come back to haunt them in a close game.

Iowa State is a 4.5-point favorite against Tennessee in the Sweet 16. If they win, they'll advance to take on the winner of Michigan vs. Alabama.

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