Ferrell Center – Waco, TX
Tip-off: Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Baylor -1.5

No. 11 Iowa State travels to Waco to take on No. 22 Baylor in a game that could go a long way in determining the Big 12 champion.

The Cyclones (6-5 ATS) are coming off an impressive 74-72 road victory against 4.5-point favorite West Virginia on Saturday, making them 9-1 SU (4-3 ATS) in their past 10 games. The Bears (6-4 ATS) picked up a tough 66-59 win at TCU on Saturday to avoid starting 0-3 in the Big 12. They are now 7-2 SU (4-3 ATS) since the start of December. These two schools met three times last season, with Iowa State winning two of those games, including a 74-65 victory to capture the Big 12 Championship. However, in Waco, Fred Hoiberg’s team lost by 13 points (74-61), dropping the program to 2-8 SU (4-6 ATS) in its past 10 visits to Baylor. Hoiberg has done a very good job of getting his team to respond after winning a very competitive game, going 16-3 ATS after winning by six points or less. The Cyclones are also 20-8 ATS in the past three seasons when playing only their second game in eight days. The Bears are an excellent 9-2 ATS in the past two seasons in games where the line is +3 to -3, and 29-15 ATS after scoring 30 points or less in the first half of two straight games under head coach Scott Drew. Baylor is still looking for a marquee victory on its resume, and this could be just the game. The only injury concern for either school is Iowa State SF Jameel McKay, who is questionable with a back injury.

Which top-25 will pick up the big conference win on Wednesday? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the StatFox Experts selections every week throughout the entire 2013-14 season. The experts have caught fire since Dec. 23, combining for a 57% ATS mark (45-34) in college basketball Best Bets. StatFox Gary is 10-5 ATS during this timeframe to improve to 62% ATS (28-17) for the season. StatFox Brian is 9-3 ATS in Best Bets since Dec. 28 to improve to 57% ATS (26-20) this season, while StatFox Scott is on an 11-4 ATS Best Bets run since Dec. 23.

Fred Hoiberg has established one of the best offensive teams in college basketball during his time as the head coach in Ames, and this season, he once again has a potent offensive club. The ball movement of Iowa State is as good as there is in college basketball, as the team ranks second in the nation in assists (18.4 APG). The way they share makes it easy for the team to score, as the Cyclones rank 15th in the nation in scoring (80.4 PPG) and 16th in shooting (49.0% FG). Leading the way for Iowa State is PF Georges Niang (15.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 3.6 APG), who is one of the more versatile players in college basketball. He has the ability to score on the block for Iowa State, but what separates him is the ability to put the ball on the floor. Niang is able to pull the opposing post player out from the paint, opening up driving lanes for his teammates. PG Bryce Dejean-Jones (12.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.0 APG) and SF Dustin Hogue (11.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 61% FG) are both guys who thrive from playing with Niang. They are both terrific athletes who cannot only get to the basket, but they can finish very well. The Cyclones aren’t the great three-point shooting team they have been in the past (34.5% threes), but they still have the type of players that can shoot the ball. SG Naz Long (12.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 40% threes) can get it going from the perimeter, and when he does, Iowa State becomes extremely difficult to beat.

Scott Drew has brought in some terrific athletes throughout the past few seasons, and these guys have made the Bears one of the best rebounding teams in college basketball. Baylor currently ranks seventh in the nation on the glass (41.3 RPG) where it holds a +10.1 RPG margin, and that will be the biggest advantage for Drew’s team on Wednesday night, as ISU's rebounding margin is only +4.0 RPG. The Bears also rank 84th in the nation in assists (14.4 APG), 157th in scoring (68.7 PPG) and 237th in shooting (42.4% FG). This game will be a classic battle of offense versus defense, as Baylor enters this game ranked 14th in the nation in points allowed (56.3 PPG) and hold opponents to 38.3% FG (33rd in NCAA) and 27.3% threes (10th in nation). Leading the way for the Bears on the glass is PF Rico Gathers (10.1 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 1.5 SPG), who is leading the Big 12 in rebounding, and ranks sixth in the nation on the glass. Gathers’ numbers had been limited in the past two seasons with Baylor's loaded frontcourts, but now he is one of the focal points, and he has delivered. Gathers is an extremely strong post player at 6-foot-8, 280 pounds, who also has great athleticism to battle the opposing team’s frontcourt players. SG Taurean Prince (12.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 49% threes) and PG Kenny Chery (10.2 PPG, 4.1 APG, 36% threes) are becoming a cohesive backcourt, and they thrive off playing with each other. Chery has a great on-court presence, not getting too high or too low when the game’s momentum changes. Chery has averaged 19.0 PPG in the past two games.