Freshman Cade Cunningham wants to make some noise in the 2021 NCAA Tournament as he leads the fourth-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys (21-8) into Sunday's second-round matchup with the No. 12-seeded Oregon State Beavers. Cunningham is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and wants to duplicate Carmelo Anthony's 2003 freshman-season title run at Syracuse before he makes the leap. He scored 15 to help the Cowboys (21-8) to a 69-60 victory against Liberty in the first-round. The gutsy Beavers (18-12) are led by senior Ethan Thompson, who was one of four Oregon State players to score in double figures in a 70-56 upset of Tennessee on Friday.
Tip-off from Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis is set for 9:40 p.m. ET. The Cowboys are a six-point favorite in the latest Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 141. Before you lock in your Oklahoma State vs. Oregon State picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned almost $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Oklahoma State vs. Oregon State in the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State:
- Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State spread: Cowboys -6
- Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State over-under: 141 points
- Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State money line: Beavers +220, Cowboys -270
- OSU: The Beavers are 14-4 this season when they hold opponents to 70 points or fewer
- OKST: The Cowboys have been held under 70 four times all season, winning two of them
Why Oklahoma State can cover
Oklahoma State is 18-10-1 against the spread overall this season, and Cunningham runs the show but seven players average more than 20 minutes and seven points per game. The Big 12 Player of the Year scores 20 points per game and also averages 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He hits more than 40 percent from 3-point range, making 58-of-144, and averages 1.5 of the team's 7.3 steals per game. The Cowboys hold opponents to 41 percent shooting (56th in NCAA) and limited Liberty 38 percent on Friday, while the Beavers shoot under 44 percent (197th).
The Cowboys, who are 9-1 against the spread in their last 10 games overall, also get major contributions from guards Avery Anderson (12 points) and Isaac Likekele (9.7). Anderson scored a game-high 21 in Friday's victory, and Likekele leads the team in rebounds (6.7) and assists (3.7). Forward Kalib Boone grabs 5.6 rebounds and blocks 1.7 shots per game to go with his 9.6 points. Oklahoma State is 39th in the nation in rebounding at 38.5 per game, with Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe also averaging more than five, while Oregon State averages less than 34 (238th).
Why Oregon State can cover
Oregon State is 20-9-1 against the spread overall this season, and Thompson was named to the All-Pac-12 first team while showing off his versatility. He leads the Beavers in scoring (15.3 per game) and assists (3.9) while also adding 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals. Oregon State shoots better than 35 percent from 3-point range, led by Thompson (32.8 percent on 134 tries) and Jarod Lucas (39.7 on 179), while holding opponents under 31 percent from long range to lead the Pac-12.
Forward Warith Alatishe ranks second in the Pac-12 with 8.5 rebounds per game and contributes to a defense that allows just over 68 points per contest. He had two blocked shots and a steal Friday, and Thompson and Lucas hounded Tennessee shooters to hold them to 19 percent from 3-point range. The Beavers have embraced the underdog role, and center Roman Silva embodied their gutsy approach, scoring a team-high 16 on Friday despite coming in averaging less than six per game.
How to make Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 143 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in more than 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Oregon State vs. Oklahoma State? And which side of the spread hits more than 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
