The Auburn Tigers take on the Iowa State Cyclones in Lahaina, Hawaii, as part of the Maui Invitational. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
The Tigers are favored by 4 points on the spread with a moneyline of -200. The total is set at 144 points.
Here’s my Auburn vs. Iowa State predictions and college basketball picks for November 25, 2024.
Auburn vs Iowa State Prediction
My Pick: Auburn -3 (Play to -5)
My Auburn vs Iowa State best bet is on the Tigers spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Auburn vs Iowa State Odds, Spread
| Auburn Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 144 -110 / -110 | -200 |
| Iowa State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 144 -110 / -110 | +165 |
- Auburn vs Iowa State spread: Auburn -4
- Auburn vs Iowa State over/under: 144 points
- Auburn vs Iowa State moneyline: Auburn -200, Iowa State +165
- Auburn vs Iowa State best bet: Auburn -3 (Play to -5)
Auburn vs Iowa State NCAAB Betting Preview
Auburn is the most impressive team in the country so far. We saw the Tigers upset Houston already and they won all three of their buy games by 23+ points.
So, what makes the Tigers so special?
They are one of two teams that rank in the top five in KenPom's offensive and defensive efficiency.
Auburn has been terrific shooting from the perimeter this year (37% from 3, with 47% of its shots coming from deep).
The biggest difference for Auburn's offense has been additions of Miles Kelly and freshman phenom Tahaad Pettiford.
Kelly is the exact type of player Auburn needed to aid All-American forward Johni Broome. He's a stone-cold sniper, shooting 50% from 3.
Meanwhile, Pettiford is the type of shot-creating guard Auburn hoped Aden Holloway would be. The 6-foot-1 Pettiford scored 20 points in Auburn's win over Houston, which is impressive for multiple reasons. On the one hand, Pettiford looked great, but on the other, Houston is the best defense in the country.
Iowa State wants to force teams into taking contested 3s, so the Tigers' shooting needs to be up to par.
As always, Broome is the fulcrum to Auburn's offense. He's an elite passing big, and the attention he demands opens up the floor. The 6-foot-10 senior averages 20 points and 11.3 rebounds per game on a career-best 65% from the field.
Oddly enough, Broome has struggled from the foul line, hitting just 41% of his foul shots. He's never been a great foul shooter, but 41% is in the same territory as former Saint Louis big Hasahn French — and that's not a good thing.
Iowa State Basketball
Iowa State filled the early portion of its schedule with some NET-friendly games. The Cyclones beat the breaks off Kansas City, IU Indy and Mississippi Valley State, so their biggest test will be against Auburn.
However, the roster features three starters from last year's team.
The Cyclones' guard trio of Tamin Lipsey, Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones is among the sport's most fearsome. The danger of facing the Clones' guards is the multitude of ways they can beat a defense. Each can handle it, shoot and break down defenses one-on-one.
T.J. Otzelberger has established himself at Iowa State by leading an elite defensive unit. Iowa State wants to pressure the ball, force tough jumpers and turn teams over. The Cyclones' defense can sometimes be their best offense, as they have a nation-best 28% turnover rate.
So, even if the offense struggles, you can expect the Clones to pick up the slack using defense.
I'm curious about which version of the Cyclones' offense is more potent. They have two options: playing a bigger lineup — which features Joshua Jefferson and Dishon Jackson with Jones on the bench — or a smaller lineup with Jones playing instead of one of the bigs.
In this game, matching the Tigers' two-big starting lineup makes sense, especially since Auburn is also massive on the wing. Milan Momcilovic could get exposed defensively if Iowa State goes smaller.
Are the Cyclones good enough offensively to win a game like this?
I don't think we have an answer yet. The team didn't add any real offensive weapons; it just replaced the graduating bigs with more defensive bigs, though Jackson is a better post player than Robert Jones or Hason Ward.
But adding more non-shooting bigs limits the offensive upside a bit.
I'm not buying Iowa State jumping from No. 52 to No. 29 in KenPom's offensive efficiency. Much of the increase feels like a byproduct of crushing bad teams in an efficient manner.
Auburn vs Iowa State Betting Analysis
I don't think Iowa State will succeed in forcing Auburn into turnovers, which is the biggest factor in the Cyclones' success.
Plus, for as tough and athletic Iowa State is, Auburn is the most athletic team in the country. Between Dylan Cardwell, Chaney Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn has a lot of length and athleticism to try wrecking Iowa State's already shaky offense.
I think Auburn is the best team in the country, so I'll take the Tigers here.
