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— Friday, March 25th Iowa State Cyclones @ Miami (FL) Hurricanes
A pair of double-digit seeds meet up in the final Sweet 16 game on Friday as No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (25-10) face the No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones (22-12). Both teams represent major conferences but had to pull off a pair of upsets already in the tournament to get into this position. Tip off is set for 9:59 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago’s Midwest Regional, airing on TBS.
These teams last met in November 2016, a 73-56 win for Iowa State. Miami is 0-3 in the Sweet 16 in their history, with losses in 2000, 2013, and 2016. Iowa State made the Elite 8 in 2000 and the Final Four in 1944 while losing in the Sweet 16 in 1986, 1997, 2014 and 2016
Miami Can Score in Bunches
The Hurricanes are 20-14-1 ATS this season, and the over is 20-15 in their 35 games. They are 5-3 in neutral site games and went an impressive 10-2 on the road in the regular season.
Miami went 14-6 in ACC play this season, and they are 7-3 in the last ten games. The Canes upset No. 7 USC and No. 2 Auburn to reach the Sweet 16.
Miami ranks 83rd nationally in scoring at 74.9 ppg. They shoot 47.7% from the field, 28th overall, and 35.3% from 3-point range, which ranks 99th. Defensively they are 229th overall, allowing 70.8 ppg, and they allow an alarming 36% shooting from 3-point range.
Miami put four players in double figures to knock off Auburn, led by 21 from Isaiah Wong. They made 29-of-51 shots from 2-point range in that game, despite getting outrebounded by eight. Wong led the team with 22 points against USC, but Miami is just 4-for-29 from 3-point range so far in the tournament.
Kameron McGusty leads the team in scoring on the season with 17.6 ppg while Wong averages 15.5. Charlie Moore, on his fourth college stop, averages 12.8 ppg and leads the team with 4.2 assists per game. Guard Jordan Miller averages 10.1 ppg and leads the team with 6.1 rebounds per contest.
Cyclones Play Defensively
The Cyclones are 19-15 ATS this season, and the under is 19-15 in their 34 games. They are 8-7 away from home, but 4-1 in neutral site games.
Iowa State was just 7-11 in the Big 12 regular season, and they are 6-4 in their last ten games. The Cyclones knocked off No. 6 LSU and No. 3 Wisconsin last weekend to make it to Chicago.
Iowa State’s offense ranks 277th in the nation at 67.3 ppg, and they shoot just 32.6% from the 3-point range. The defense, however, ranks 27th nationally at 62.7 ppg allowed, and they give up just 29.5% from 3-point range, 18th nationally.
Gabe Kalscheur led the team with 22 points against Wisconsin, while Izaiah Brockington had 10. Tyrese Hunter had 23 in the win over LSU, while Brockington had 19. Iowa State got it done with defense in both games, holding LSU to 54 points and Wisconsin to just 49.
Overall, Brockington leads the Cyclones with 17.1 ppg and 6.8 rpg. Hunter averages 10.9 ppg with Kalscheur at 9.5 ppg. Caleb Grill is the only player on Iowa State with more than 40 3-pointers made on the season as he’s knocked down 56.
Betting Analysis
- Miami Hurricanes -2.5 (-110). Money Line -140
- Iowa State Cyclones +2.5 (-110) Money Line +120
- Total: 133. Over -110. Under -110
Iowa State does a great job of slowing games down and controlling the pace. Miami will look to counter that with Moore and Miller on the perimeter, but both teams have struggled from the outside all season and in the tournament. Playing in an NBA arena, look for the shooting to stay low and the points to be at a premium on Friday.
Betting Pick: Under 133 (-110)
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