ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — A surging but inconsistent Kentucky squad faces a formidable and higher-seeded Iowa State team on Sunday with a spot in the NCAA tournament’s second week on the line.

The third-seeded Cyclones (28-7) enter the Midwest Region matchup at Enterprise Center as 4.5-point favorites, reflecting their superior record and seeding. Iowa State rolled past Tennessee State 108-74 in its opener, showcasing a balanced attack. Killyan Toure led the way with 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, a dominant performance that followed a more subdued stretch for the guard.

The sixth-seeded Wildcats (22-13) needed overtime to outlast Santa Clara 89-84 on Friday. They are powered by the stellar play of guard Otega Oweh, who poured in 35 points with eight rebounds and seven assists in that win. Over his last eight games, Oweh is averaging 21.6 points, demonstrating his capacity to carry the Kentucky offense.

Iowa State’s defense, which held opponents to an average of 53 points in its two games prior to the tournament, will be tested by Oweh’s explosive scoring. The Cyclones counter with offensive depth, as evidenced by Nate Heise’s 22 points and Blake Buchanan’s near triple-double (11 points, seven rebounds, eight assists) in the first round.

Kentucky has shown a Jekyll-and-Hyde quality, mixing impressive wins with puzzling losses. Their path to St. Louis included narrow victories over LSU and Missouri but also double-digit defeats to Texas A&M and Florida.

The over/under is set at 146 points. The game tips off Sunday afternoon, with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16.