Kansas head coach Bill Self isn’t one to dwell on a single win-no matter how big it might seem in the moment. After his Jayhawks knocked off then-undefeated No. 1 Arizona, Self was proud, but not satisfied.
“Our guys played great,” he said. “They played hard and tough for the most part. I was obviously very proud of them.”
But in typical Self fashion, the celebration didn’t last long. The focus quickly shifted to what’s next.
“That was Monday and today’s Thursday,” he said. “There are still bigger things out there, even though that was big at the moment.”
And those “bigger things” arrive in the form of a top-five showdown at Hilton Coliseum, where No. 5 Iowa State has been untouchable this season.
The Cyclones have rattled off 13 straight wins at home, and they’re not just beating teams-they’re overwhelming them. Kansas may have handled Iowa State comfortably at Allen Fieldhouse last month, but Self knows better than to expect a repeat performance on the road.
“There was a period where they were playing as well as anybody in the country,” Self said. “Then they had a bad week, then played great again. They’re terrific.”
What makes this Iowa State squad so dangerous? Depth, for one.
Star power, for another. And a bench that’s only getting better as the season wears on.
“Their bench has gotten better. Their freshmen are good.
They’ve got three potential All-American type guys starting,” Self said. “We played so well against them the first time and they didn’t.
I’d like to think we had something to do with that, but we’ll see a different team Saturday.”
Hilton Coliseum has long been one of the toughest road environments in college basketball, and Saturday’s top-10 clash is only going to crank up the volume. The Cyclones have won the last three meetings in Ames, and the series is split 3-3 over the last six. This one’s shaping up to be another classic.
“They’re ranked five now? So it’ll be five versus nine,” Self said. “It’ll be turned up in there.”
And don’t expect Kansas to try to simulate that noise in practice. That’s not Self’s style.
“No. I’ve never been a big believer in that,” he said.
Beyond the intensity of the matchup, Saturday offers another crucial checkpoint in a Big 12 race that’s as deep and competitive as any in recent memory. Self pointed to Houston and Arizona as the current pace-setters, but made it clear that Kansas is still very much in the hunt.
“We’re in it without question,” he said. “But we’ve got to do some damage to put ourselves right in the middle of it.”
As for Iowa State’s ceiling? Self didn’t hesitate when asked if the Cyclones have what it takes to make a serious run in March.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Could they make it?
Absolutely. Could they not?
Absolutely. There are so many good teams.
But when they’re playing well, they play as well as anybody.”
Saturday’s matchup isn’t just a battle between two top-10 teams-it’s a litmus test for where each program stands heading into the stretch run. For Kansas, it’s a chance to prove their Arizona win wasn’t a peak, but a launching point. For Iowa State, it’s an opportunity to defend their home court and solidify their status as a legitimate national contender.
One thing’s for sure: Hilton’s going to be rocking, and the Big 12 race is only just heating up.