Cyclones Flip the Script on Kansas, Show Their Teeth in February Revenge Game
If January is about figuring out who you are, February is when teams start showing who they’ve become. And Iowa State? They look like a squad that’s grown up fast-and they're not afraid to throw a punch back.
After getting run off the floor in Lawrence last month, the Cyclones circled this date on the calendar. Kansas had handed them an 84-63 loss that night, but Saturday in Ames, Iowa State returned the favor-and then some.
With a 74-56 win at Hilton Coliseum, the Cyclones didn’t just even the season series. They made a statement.
The first nine minutes were, let’s be honest, hard to watch. A 6-6 scoreline made it feel more like a wrestling match than a basketball game, and both teams looked like they were shaking off offseason rust.
But what looked like chaos was actually classic T.J. Otzelberger basketball: gritty, physical, and built on the back of disruptive defense.
Then Iowa State found its rhythm-and Kansas never did.
Once the Cyclones got going, they didn’t look back. They poured in 68 points over the final 31 minutes, turning a rock fight into a showcase of depth, balance, and defensive intensity. And while the Hilton crowd brought the energy-as they always do-it was the players who made the difference.
Balanced Attack, Relentless Defense
This wasn’t a one-man show. Milan Momcilovic led the way with 18 points, but he had plenty of help.
Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Blake Buchanan, and Jamarion Batemon all chipped in 11 apiece. That kind of scoring distribution makes this team dangerous.
There’s no single pressure point to attack-everyone’s capable, and everyone’s confident.
Defensively, Iowa State did what few teams have been able to do against Kansas this season: take them completely out of rhythm. The Jayhawks turned the ball over 13 times (compared to just six for the Cyclones), shot a cold 19-of-51 from the field, and hit just six threes. It wasn’t just a bad shooting night-it was a team getting smothered by a defense that refused to give them space or time to breathe.
And when Kansas tried to adjust, Iowa State had an answer. Every time.
Home Court Advantage, Sure-but This Roster Travels
Yes, Hilton Magic is real. And yes, the place was rocking.
But this wasn’t about the crowd. Even Kansas head coach Bill Self said it: it’s the players that make Iowa State so tough to beat in Ames.
The crowd helps, but it’s the Cyclones’ intensity, togetherness, and two-way commitment that really make them special.
This team isn’t perfect-they’ve dropped a few on the road-but what we saw against Kansas was a group that knows how to respond when things get tough. That matters. Especially in March.
Remember the 2023 tournament loss to Pitt? That was a Cyclone team that couldn’t pull itself out of a scoring rut.
Fast forward to Saturday: nine minutes in, they were stuck in the mud again. But this time, they found another gear.
That’s growth. That’s the kind of resilience you need if you want to make a deep run when the lights get brightest.
Next Up: Houston and a Chance to Make Some Noise
Now comes the real test. After taking down Kansas, Iowa State turns around and faces No.
3 Houston on Big Monday. It’s a brutal turnaround-one day to prep for one of the most physical teams in the country-but this is the kind of game that can define a season.
Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson isn’t shying away from the moment. After his team’s win over Kansas State, he said, “We’ll see if we can go and shock the world because that’s what it would be. Iowa State doesn’t lose at home.”
He’s not wrong. But the Cyclones aren’t just defending their home court anymore-they’re playing for seeding, for pride, and for a shot at the Big 12 regular season crown. More importantly, they’re proving to themselves that they can beat anyone, anywhere.
These are the kinds of games that reveal a team’s ceiling. And right now, Iowa State’s ceiling looks a lot higher than it did a month ago.
Let’s see how high they can climb.