Iowa State Sends a Message with Dominant Win Over Kansas: Cyclones Look Like True Contenders
AMES - Just four days after watching a late lead slip away in Fort Worth, Iowa State responded with the kind of performance that turns heads-and turns narratives. The Cyclones didn’t just beat No.
9 Kansas on Saturday afternoon. They overwhelmed them, 74-56, in front of a raucous Hilton Coliseum crowd, sending a clear message to the rest of the Big 12 and beyond: this team is for real.
Now sitting at 22-3 overall and 9-3 in conference play, Iowa State is firmly in the Big 12 title race. But after the way they handled the Jayhawks, it’s fair to start thinking bigger.
Final Four? Absolutely in the conversation.
And if they can string together six clean games in March? Don’t rule out a national championship run.
This wasn’t just a bounce-back win-it was a blueprint.
From Fort Worth Frustration to Hilton Domination
Earlier in the week, Iowa State let one get away. A 12-0 closing run by TCU handed the Cyclones a 62-55 loss and raised some fair questions about their ability to close against top-tier competition. On Saturday, those doubts didn’t just get answered-they got buried under 40 minutes of relentless, physical basketball.
“Our guys were really locked in,” head coach T.J. Otzelberger said after the win. “I thought it was at a very high level in terms of how we pressured the ball, how physical we were, how we were ahead of plays in the first half.”
That first half? It was a clinic in how to control a game without shooting the lights out.
Iowa State hit just 38.9% from the field and went 3-for-16 from deep, but still led by 10 at the break. How?
By dominating the hustle stats.
Winning the Margins
Iowa State forced 13 Kansas turnovers and turned those into 19 points. They grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and parlayed those into a 17-12 edge in second-chance scoring. Add it up, and the Cyclones held a massive 23-4 advantage in points off turnovers and second-chance points in the first half alone.
That’s how you build a lead when the shots aren’t falling. That’s how you win games in March.
“I think that was the reason we had the 10-point lead at halftime,” Otzelberger said. “We really worked to win in the margins and win the possession game. That is our winning formula.”
It was a stark contrast to what happened a month ago in Lawrence, when Iowa State got buried early and never recovered in a 21-point loss. This time, the Cyclones flipped the script-and then some.
A Statement Win with Bigger Implications
The Big 12 schedule isn’t getting any easier. In fact, it’s about to hit its heaviest stretch. But if Saturday was any indication, Iowa State is peaking at the right time.
This team defends like their lives depend on it. They rebound with purpose.
And even when the offense sputters, they find ways to control the game through effort and execution. That’s the DNA of a team built for March.
Kansas came into Hilton Coliseum ranked in the top 10 and left with more questions than answers. Iowa State? They left with a signature win-and the kind of momentum that can carry deep into the postseason.
There’s still work to do. But make no mistake: Iowa State isn’t just in the mix. They’re making noise, and if they keep playing like this, they’ll be dancing deep into the tournament.