Picks, prediction for Iowa State vs. Pitt in First Round of 2023 NCAA Tournament

The No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones (19-13, 9-9 Big 12) will enter NCAA Tournament play with a matchup with the No. 11 seed Pitt Panthers (23-11, 14-6 ACC) on Friday afternoon. The game will get started at 3:10 p.m. ET from Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, and can be seen on truTV.

Let’s take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

No. 6 Iowa State vs. No. 11 Pitt picks

Spread: Iowa State -4
Over/Under: 131.5
Moneyline: Iowa State -175, Pitt +150

Iowa State finished in a tie for fifth place in the Big 12 and lost in the semifinal round of the conference tournament. Pitt already played an NCAA Tournament game with a 60-59 win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Tuesday’s First Four with Nelly Cummings leading the way with 15 points.

The Panthers’ strength comes on the offensive end, but the Cyclones can minimize that with a defense that rates eighth in KenPom adjusted efficiency. Iowa State struggles to score, and the offense is barely inside the top 100 in KenPom. The Cyclones rate 327th in adjusted tempo, so there’s a lot to like about the under in this spot.

Pick: Under 131.5