Is tonight the night?
The Game
Iowa State @ TCU
The Time
8:00 PM Central
The Television
ESPNU
The Opponent
TCU. Though they’ve been playing better of late, the Horned Frogs are still among the Big 12’s worst, a sizable distance above Iowa State but a more sizable difference below the league’s seven tournament teams.
The Numbers
Vegas has ISU a 6.5-point underdog, with the over/under at 142.5. KenPom projects a 74-69 win for the Horned Frogs, with Iowa State 33% likely to get their first conference victory.
What Iowa State Needs to Do
TCU can be attacked inside the arc. Their two-point defense is among the worst in the Big 12.
That’s not to say Iowa State needs to be solely reliant upon Solomon Young. A good game from Young is likely necessary, but he doesn’t need to carry the entire burden. Rather, this is an invitation for dribble penetration and cuts toward the hoop. TCU forces the fewest turnovers in the league. Iowa State should be able to get rather comfortable.
On the defensive end, R.J. Nembhard and Mike Miles take most of TCU’s shots, and a lot of those are going to be threes. The Cyclones have been effective in the realm of perimeter defense, so if this pattern holds from the TCU offense, it should fall into Iowa State’s lap. If it doesn’t hold, and if TCU goes more often to Kevin Samuel—their less used, more efficient big man—Young and George Conditt are going to have their hands full.
