#7 Kentucky vs. #2 Iowa State Picks and Predictions: Round of 32
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Sun Mar 22, 2026, 10:00 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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The Wildcats and Cyclones meet in the Round of 32 after very differing contests in their first game. It looked like the season was over for No. 7 Kentucky after Santa Clara hit a go ahead three with 2.4 seconds on the clock. But after a miracle half court heave from Otega Oweh, Mark Pope's team went on to not only win in overtime, but also covered the three point spread. As for Iowa State, they made easy work of Tennessee State, but at what cost? Today they will be without Joshua Jefferson, as he was injured very early on. Check out our CBB picks to see what we've got in this contest.
Check out our March Madness Betting Guide to get in on all the action this month!
Best Bet: Kentucky/Iowa State Over 146.5 (-108) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Go check out what else I've got on my daily card, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#7 Kentucky Wildcats vs. #2 Iowa State Cyclones NCAA Basketball Insights
Otega Oweh and Kentucky survived and advanced. Can they do it again?
Miracles do happen in March, at least Mark Pope should certainly believe that. After going back and forth with the Broncos all game long, eventually the Wildcats broke through in overtime. If only Santa Clara's coach would have IMMEDIATELY called for a timeout, he waiting too long, Oweh dribbled down the court, and the rest is history. Thanks for playing Broncos.
Now, the Cyclones proved they didn't need Jefferson against the Tennessee State Tigers, but I bet TJ Otzelberger is a bit more worried about facing this Power Five opponent without their stud big man. Jefferson contributes 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, along with 1.6 steals and a block. That's plenty of production to make up, but the Cyclones found a way in the Round of 64. Can they do it again without him?
Matchup Information – Kentucky vs. Iowa State – March 22
- Venue & Location: Enterprise Center (St. Louis, MO)
- Date: Sunday, March 22, 2026
- Kick Off: 2:45 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: CBS
Kentucky vs. Iowa State Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of March 22, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Kentucky +5.5 (-115)
- Iowa State -5.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- Kentucky +188
- Iowa State -235
Total
- Over 146.5 (-108)
- Under 146.5 (-112)
#7 Kentucky vs. #2 Iowa State NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Will Iowa State be able to hang with the Wildcats without Joshua Jefferson?
Kentucky vs. Iowa State Prediction: Iowa State Wins and Covers, Over 146.5
Best Bet: Kentucky/Iowa State Over 146.5 (-108) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Points, points, points. While I am blown away at Iowa State's defense every time I watch them play, these boys can put the ball in the hoop. They shoot it extremely well from everywhere on the court, plus they aren't afraid to get up and down the floor. Kentucky is the same way offensively, but I certainly have little faith in the Wildcats' defense.
I see these two teams sprinting up and down the floor trading buckets all game long. When this number dropped, I was flabbergasted that it was less than 150, which I think we see easily in this contest. Even without Jefferson, the Cyclones have some big bodies who can come off the bench and compete with the Kentucky front court. As for the guards, Iowa State is incredibly deep and have multiple options to try and slow down Oweh and Chandler.
Feed me points early on Sunday.
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Check Out the Other March Madness Content from Betting News
For college basketball bettors, March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year. And at Betting News, we have you covered for this festively fun season with expert picks throughout the tournament from Nate Hornung and Eddie Griffin, consensus picks for every March Madness game from the First Four to the Final Four, a rundown of the best March Madness betting sites, and more.
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