The Final Betting Odds: Ole Miss Basketball vs. Iowa State Cyclones in NCAA Tourney

Chris Beard and Co. look to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16, clash against the Cyclones on Sunday evening.

Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Malik Dia (0) celebrates after a play during the second half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

No. 6 seeded Ole Miss will take on the Iowa State Cyclones on Sunday night in the Round of 32 with both programs looking to punch their ticket to the Sweet 16.

Chris Beard and Co. continue preparation for the Second Round NCAA Tournament clash with the Rebels aware of the task at hand.

"Nothing but respect for Iowa State. T.J. (Otzelberger) does a great job. Their team has an identity, doesn’t take long to figure it out. They’re physical. They’re connected. They’re hard-playing guys," Beard said on Saturday.

"I think it’s a great coaching fit, T.J., with Iowa State. He’s impacted that program for a long time, not only as a head coach, but as an assistant coach. And we competed against each other along the way.

"But, yes, a physical, hard-playing team that doesn’t beat themselves. So, again, we’ll have to play our best 40 minutes of the season to try to get to next weekend."

The Preview: No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones

The Start Time and How to Watch:

Start Time: 6:45 p.m. CT on March 23
Channel: TruTV
Location: Milwaukee (Wisc.)

Ole Miss will take on No. 3 seeded Iowa State on Sunday in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament with the current lines being revealed by DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Current Betting Lines: Ole Miss Rebels vs. Iowa State Cyclones

Spread:
- Ole Miss: (+5.5)
- Iowa State: (-5.5)

Moneyline:
- Ole Miss: (+195)
- Iowa State: (-238)

Over/Under: 244.5

The Ole Miss Rebels will enter the clash in Milwaukee as 5.5-point underdogs with Vegas favoring the Iowa State Cyclones following impressive Round 1 victory.

Beard's Take: Poise Paves the Way

"Our word is poise, stone-faced, don’t get too high or too low. We have a veteran team. Sean and Juju have both played in the NCAA Tournament before. I think that showed early," Beard said on Friday. "They did a great job getting some of their teammates that haven’t played in this tournament before prepared.

"I think a lot of things about our team. I think we looked poised at times. We were composed when it mattered most. I didn’t see anything about our team today that looked like there was any fraught in our program. I saw a team that had a good season in the SEC just beat North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament."

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