Power conference teams will face off in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament as No. 6 LSU faces No. 11 Iowa State in the Midwest Region. LSU (22-11) finished fifth in the SEC but also fired its coach just days before March Madness. Meanwhile, the Cyclones (20-12) placed seventh in the Big 12 after going 2-22 last season.

Tip-off is set for 7:20 p.m. ET at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. The Tigers are four-point favorites in the latest LSU vs. Iowa State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the Over-Under is set at 129. (Head over to our college basketball odds page for up-to-date odds on every game). 

Before you make any Iowa State vs. LSU picks, you NEED to check out the college basketball predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.

The model knows the Tigers are elite on the defensive end, ranking fourth in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Tigers love to press their opponents which can often lead to feast or famine results, but it's been mostly feast for LSU. The Tigers lead the nation with 11.1 steals per game with six players averaging at least one swipe and two players -- Eric Gaines and Tari Eason -- averaging two steals a game. This pressure has helped LSU force the fourth-most turnovers per game (18) in the country and those turnovers often lead to easy points on the other end.

The model also has considered that Iowa State is well-tested, having beaten a number of highly ranked tournament teams. The Cyclones hold wins over Texas Tech, Iowa and Texas, which are all seeded sixth or better in March Madness. They also bring it on the defensive end and hound opponents on the perimeter. Iowa State allows a 3-point percentage of just 29.6 percent, which ranks 21st in all of college basketball.

Now, the model has broken down the LSU vs. Iowa State matchup from every angle and revealed its results. We can tell you the model is leaning Over the total, and it also says one side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any college basketball picks.

Who wins Iowa State vs. LSU in their 2022 NCAA Tournament opener? And which side of the spread hits 60 percent of the time? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the LSU vs. Iowa State spread you should be all over Friday, all from the model on a roll on college basketball picks!