Every night in the Big 12 conference feels like a heavyweight title bout. In the last week alone, the conference has given the country Arizona vs. Kansas, Texas Tech vs. Arizona and Kansas vs. Iowa State.
On Monday night, the Big 12 will stage another scintillating showdown when the No. 2 Houston Cougars and the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones collide at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
The Cougars (23-2, 11-1 in Big 12) lead the Big 12 by one game over Arizona (23-2, 10-2). They have won six in a row behind freshman guard Kingston Flemings and a suffocating defense that ranks second in the country with 61.3 points per game allowed.
Meanwhile, the Cyclones (22-3, 9-3) are tied for third in the Big 12. They are coming off an 18-point blowout win over Kansas on Saturday, which was their biggest victory over the Jayhawks since 1973. The win also improved Iowa State’s home record to 14-0 this season.
The Cyclones are 2.5-point favorites over the Cougars on Monday.
While Houston vs. Iowa State is the marquee attraction on Monday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes a partial college basketball schedule. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Monday, Feb. 16. All times Eastern.
College basketball best bets, where to watch
Syracuse at No. 3 Duke
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Durham, N.C. | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 142.5
The Duke Blue Devils continue their march to the ACC regular season title when they host the Syracuse Orange on Monday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils (23-2, 12-1 in ACC) lead the conference by one game over Virginia (22-3, 10-2). Duke is anchored by likely national player of the year Cameron Boozer, who ranks fifth in the country in scoring (22.8 points per game) and 14th in rebounding (9.9 per game). On Monday, he and the Blue Devils will take on a Syracuse team that has been relatively mediocre defensively this season, ranking 130th in the nation in points per game allowed (72.2). The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times, says there’s a 73% chance the teams combine for 143 points or more and assigns a “B” grade to Over 142.5.
No. 2 Houston at No. 6 Iowa State
Time: 9 p.m. | Location: Ames, Iowa | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 134.5 | Expert: Houston +2.5 (Micah Roberts)
Because both of these teams are known for their defenses, the offenses have been overshadowed. The Cougars rank 12th in the country in offensive rating (125.0 points per 100 possessions), according to KenPom, while the Cyclones (123.9) are 17th. Both teams feature players who can fill it up. Flemings (16.4 points per game) is on pace to break the program record for single-season scoring average by a freshman. Meanwhile, Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic leads the country in 3-point percentage (51.6). The SportsLine Projection Model says there’s an 80.4% chance the teams combine for 135 points or more and gives a “B” grade to Over 134.5.
Looking ahead
Champions League: Atalanta at Borussia Dortmund
Time: 3 p.m. Tuesday | Location: Dortmund | TV: Paramount+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Over 2.5 | Expert: Over 2.5 (Jon Eimer)
Two teams on a roll square off in the first leg of a Champions League knockout phase playoff when Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta face off at Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund have won their last six matches in the Bundesliga to move into second place in the table. Atalanta, which installed Raffaele Palladino as coach midseason, have six wins and two draws over their last eight matches in Serie A. “My belief is that with this being a two-legged playoff, Dortmund are going to press heavily at home in this first leg, knowing that playing in Italy is going to be tough,” Eimer says. The SportsLine Projection Model agrees. It projects 3.3 total goals and assigns a “B” grade to Over 2.5.
Paris Saint-Germain at Monaco
Time: 3 p.m. Tuesday | Location: Monaco | TV: Paramount+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: PSG -188 | Expert: PSG -1 (Jon Eimer)
Two French sides will meet in European competition for the first time when Monaco host PSG at Stade Louis II. PSG sit in second place in the Ligue 1 table with 51 points, behind only Lens (52). Monaco are eighth with 31 points. At the end of November, Monaco stunned PSG 1-0 in a Ligue 1 match in Monaco. But the reigning league champions currently lead Ligue 1 in both goals (49) and goal differential (+30). “PSG will be desperate for the chance to correct that abysmal 1-0 loss,” Eimer says. The SportsLine Projection Model agrees. Its simulations say the average score for this match is 3.7-0.7 and gives a strong “A” grade to the PSG money line (-188).
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