The Cincinnati Bearcats and the Iowa State Cyclones continue Big 12 Conference men’s basketball action on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, in Kansas City for the Big 12 Tournament.
Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. central on ESPN and ESPN+. Cincinnati (18-14, 7-13 in Big 12) is unranked, while Iowa State (23-8, 13-7) checks in at No. 5.
Wednesday’s game between Cincinnati and Iowa State kicks off the first game of the second round in the Big 12 Tournament, where the winner will continue to play again on Thursday, and the loser heads home. Cincinnati enters the game after bouncing Oklahoma State out of the tournament with a dominant 87-68 win on Tuesday.
Here is a preview of the game.
How to Watch Cincinnati vs. Iowa State
Date: Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025
Time: 11:30 a.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Site: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Cincinnati vs. Iowa State Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Iowa State -7.5
Current Line: Iowa State -9
Over/Under: 134.5 (opened at 136.5)
Cincinnati vs. Iowa State Predictions
The Bearcats enter the game against Iowa State off of one of their best offensive showings of the season with 87 points. The team saw four athletes reach double figures, including Day Day Thomas, Josh Reed, Dillon Mitchell, and Dan Skillings. Mitchell went nuclear in the opening round, recording an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double, which set his new career high for boards.
In the first game vs. Iowa State, the Bearcats hung tough in a hostile environment at Hilton Coliseum. The group wound up losing 81-70, with Jizzle James recording 25 of those points.
One difference between that game and now that Iowa State fans should be eagerly watching is the status of Keshon Gilbert. In the 81-70 win, Gilbert recorded eight points, five rebounds, and four assists. Since then, he’s been dealing with a lingering muscle strain that kept him sidelined in the season finale vs. Kansas State.
Iowa State enters the game as the overwhelming favorite, but as CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein would say, this is March, a month where anything can happen. Though the tournament is based in Kansas City, the Cyclones should have the best home-court advantage of anyone, even better than Kansas and Kansas State. Expect the Cyclones to take care of business in a loud environment.
Iowa State 85, Cincinnati 74
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Iowa State (73.4% Chance to Win)
Odds Shark: Iowa State 74.0, Cincinnati 71.4
