For starters, you don't often see a lower seed yielding this many points to a higher seed during a league tournament. Adding to the appeal, the higher seed won their meeting on the road. Further, Iowa State PGs Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert are questionable with groin injuries. They might take the floor, but it would be folly for the Cyclones to risk their health with the real tourney looming in a week. Both logged more than 40 minutes in the overtime loss to BYU, which illustrates how much Iowa State relies on them. No team in the nation is hotter than the Cougars, who seek their ninth in a row straight-up. This many points is a gift from the oddsmaker gods.

These two played a wild game a little less than two weeks ago and yeah Ames is tough to play and lends itself to over, but it was 68-68 after 40 mins (2 OTS killed under). The Cyclones defense should travel here. ISU is 9-3 under last 12. When the total is between 148-153, Iowa State is 6-2 under (with the 2OT game vs BYU 1 of the overs). BYU's offense doesn't travel that well, a lot of these tourney games have started choppy and ugly offensively and I expect Iowa State to bring the vice grips from the jump after letting that game game vs BYU get away.

BYU is one of the hottest teams in the country and have had some extra time to prepare for Iowa State. The Cyclones are a contender when healthy, but I'm willing to gamble that Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert are not 100% today (Gilbert may not suit up but Lipsey is expected to play). BYU can be relentless on offense, but will need to clean up the turnovers. I expect it to be close down the stretch with BYU having a chance to win this one.

Yes, BYU is hot (eight straight wins), and took out ISU in double-OT last week in Ames. The Big XII tourney in Kansas City, however, has been ISU's lately, as the Cyclones have now won four straight by double-digits in this event at T-Mobile Center after warning up nicely for another run in Wednesday's 76-56 cruise over Cincinnati. ISU hit nearly 54% from the floor, with ex-Saint Mary's 6-8 Joshua Jefferson the key man, scoring 19. TJ Otzelberger will address his Cyclones about that 52-24 rebound edge BYU enjoyed last week; conversely, the Cougs were also pressured into 29 TOs. But it's the Cyclones' recent history in this event that influences us in the early Thursday window. Play Iowa State (Big 12 at Kansas City)