The Iowa State Cyclones take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson, AZ. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Arizona is favored by 7.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -350. The total is set at 147.5 points.
Here’s my Iowa State vs. Arizona prediction and college basketball picks for March 2, 2026.
Iowa State vs Arizona Prediction
My Pick: Arizona -7.5 | Arizona 1H ATS
My Iowa State vs Arizona best bet is on the Wildcats to cover the spread and to win outright. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Iowa State vs. Arizona Odds
| Iowa State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 147.5 -110 / -110 | +275 |
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 147.5 -110 / -110 | -350 |
- Iowa State vs Arizona spread: Arizona -7.5
- Iowa State vs Arizona over/under: 147.5 points
- Iowa State vs Arizona moneyline: Iowa State +275, Arizona -350
Iowa State vs Arizona College Basketball Betting Preview
Iowa State Basketball
Iowa State enters Monday night’s Big 12 clash posting a 24-5 overall record on the season, also having won 11 of the team’s 16 conference matchups thus far. Otzelberger’s bunch looks to gain some momentum ahead of the Big-12 conference tournament in just two weeks’ time.
In one of the biggest upsets of the weekend, the Cyclones were handed their first home defeat of the season, falling to a short-handed Texas Tech team without its senior leader and superstar forward in JT Toppin.
After Saturday’s defeat, the Cyclones have a prime bounce-back opportunity on Monday night in what will likely be their toughest test of the season at Arizona.
Iowa State’s starting lineup boasts a ton of experience, and its offense has thrived behind the exceptional play of its leaders: Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson, and its floor general, senior point guard Tamin Lipsey.
Momcilovic is the leading scorer for a Cyclone offense, scoring nearly 83 points per game in 2026, with its 6′ 8” Forward posting an impressive 17.5 points per contest. The Iowa State Junior is one of the best three-point shooters in the country- converting at an exceptional 51% clip.
Joshua Jefferson rounds out a loaded Iowa State frontcourt, with the Senior posting nearly 17 points as well. The former Saint Mary's forward is recording over seven rebounds per game, also tallying over five assists on average. The Cyclones’ 6′ 8” Forward is having a breakout senior campaign in his second season under Otzelberger.
6′ 1” Guard Tamin Lipsey runs the point for an Iowa State offense that can score from anywhere on the floor, with the Cyclones’ senior-leader posting 13 points per game. Lipsey is in his fourth season in Ames and is the heart of this Iowa State squad on both ends of the floor.
His offense emphasizes perimeter spacing, interior passes, and deliberate sets in the half court that have resulted in an extremely well-balanced offensive machine.
The Cyclones frequently use screens to create efficient scoring opportunities in the paint, while also forcing defensive shifts that open passing lanes for its perimeter players cutting to the basket.
The effectiveness of Cyclones’ transition offense has also been key, resulting in shorter possessions and producing more points. Iowa State turns inside the top-20 in the country in offensive efficiency per KenPom.
This well-balanced attack has made the Cyclones one of the most versatile teams in all of college basketball as its offense thrives both inside the paint, and on the perimeter.
Arizona Basketball
The second-ranked Wildcats prepare to host Iowa State on Big Monday in what sets up to be one of the best matchups of the entire season. Arizona enters this contest posting a 27-2 overall record on the season, and 13-2 in conference play.
In his fifth season as Wildcat head coach, Tommy Lloyd had arguably the best offseason of any coach in the country- making waves both via recruitment, and in the transfer portal.
In one of the most talented freshman classes in recent memory, Lloyd landed 2 top-12 prospects: 6′ 7” Forward Koa Peat and 6′ 4 guard Brayden Burries.
Burries leads an Arizona offense that is scoring 88 points per game this season. The 6′ 4” Freshman Guard is recording 15-points per game figures in his fir15 pointsiate season, also tallying five rebounds, and nearly three assists on average.
The Wildcat point guard is unbelievably efficient with the ball in his hands, converting on nearly half of his field goal attempts this season, while turning the ball over just once per contest in over 30 minutes.
Lloyd’s backcourt also features another five-star freshman in 6′ 7” Dutch combo guard Dwayne Aristode, whose length and versatility make him one of the premier on-ball defenders in the entire country.
Koa Peat headlines a stacked Arizona front court, with the 6′ 9” Freshman Forward posting nearly 14 points per game, and six rebounds on average. Peat is a top-10 NBA Draft talent, and, alongside Burries, is the heart and soul of this Wildcat.
While Arizona's offense that has been stealing headlines in 2026, the Wildcat defense has actually been even more efficient, ranking second in the country in defensive efficiency rating per KenPom.
Lloyd preaches physicality and the importance of crashing the glass above all else on the defensive end of the floor. The Wildcat defensive end has established a high-effort culture in his locker room, very similar to that of UConn’s Dan Hurley.
Europeans Ivan Kharchenkov and 7 '2 Motiejus Krivas have both been stellar rim protectors for Arizona this season- making it very difficult for opponents to find clean looks inside the lane. Lloyd’s Wildcats have an elite defensive frontcourt, which is certainly among the best in college basketball.
The Wildcat defense is allowing less than 70 points per game this season despite one of the toughest schedules in the entire country. Lloyd’s bunch is surely battle-tested with the NCAA Tournament just two weeks away.
Iowa State vs. Arizona Betting Analysis
Monday night’s Big 12 clash will be must-watch television as two of the best teams in college basketball look to start the month of March in impressive fashion.
From a betting perspective, Iowa State's reliance on offensive production from three-point land could prove fatal, matched up with a pressure-oriented Wildcat perimeter defense that features impressive length, and size.
In what will definitely be a hostile environment at Arizona’s McKale Center, the Cyclones’ offensive flow may be stifled if they are not knocking down shots early in the game, and are forced to run their offensive sets in the half-court versus the Wildcats’ suffocating defensive pressure.
I love Arizona in this spot on its home floor, and will be looking to back the Wildcats both on the spread and the moneyline ahead of Big Monday’s showdown.
My Pick: Arizona -7.5 | Arizona 1H ATS
