Kansas vs. Iowa State: A Big 12 Showdown with Championship Implications
The Kansas Jayhawks are rolling. Winners of eight straight, they’ve surged into the thick of the Big 12 title race with seven games left on the schedule.
Sitting at 19-5 overall and 9-2 in conference play, the No. 9-ranked Jayhawks are just a game behind league co-leaders Arizona and Houston. But the road ahead gets no easier - and it starts with a trip to one of the toughest venues in college basketball.
This Saturday, Kansas heads to Ames to take on No. 5 Iowa State inside Hilton Coliseum - a place where the Cyclones are a perfect 13-0 this season.
Tip-off is set for noon ET on ABC, and if recent history is any indication, expect a battle. While Kansas handled Iowa State 84-63 back in January at Allen Fieldhouse, the Cyclones have had the Jayhawks’ number at home, winning the last three meetings in Ames.
Over the last six matchups, the series is dead even at 3-3.
Big 12 Race Heats Up
Kansas head coach Bill Self knows his team is in the race - but also understands the work still ahead.
“I see us being in it without question, but we’ve got to do some damage to really put ourselves in the middle of it,” Self said Thursday. “Houston and Arizona are still the front-runners.”
Arizona and Houston - both sitting at 10-1 in league play - are on a collision course themselves, with a high-stakes matchup looming in Houston on February 21. Arizona’s next two games are at home, against Texas Tech and BYU, before that trip to face the Cougars. Kansas, meanwhile, will host Houston on February 23 before heading to Tucson to face Arizona on February 28.
So yes, the Jayhawks are in the hunt. But they’ll need to keep stacking wins - and that starts with finding a way to win in one of the Big 12’s most hostile environments.
Hilton Magic Is Real
Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger knows exactly what kind of atmosphere to expect Saturday.
“I’m confident Hilton will give us an amazing environment,” Otzelberger said. “Our fans show up with tremendous energy and passion. That crowd energy helps build momentum - especially when things aren’t going your way.”
The Cyclones are 21-3 overall and 8-3 in the Big 12, tied with Texas Tech just behind Kansas in the standings. Despite a tough 62-55 road loss at TCU earlier this week, Iowa State has won five of its last six and remains firmly in the mix.
And they’ll be motivated. The last time these two teams met, Kansas handed then-No.
2 Iowa State its first loss of the season. That game wasn’t close - KU shot 50.8% from the field and 12-of-24 from deep, while Iowa State struggled at 36.9% overall and just 9-of-27 from three.
Tre White led the way for Kansas with 19 points and five triples. Darryn Peterson added 16, Melvin Council Jr. chipped in 15, and Flory Bidunga had 10.
On the other side, Joshua Jefferson scored 12 for ISU but also committed five of the team’s 12 turnovers. Tamin Lipsey added 10 points on a tough 4-of-15 shooting night, with Milan Momcilovic and Nate Heise each contributing 11 and 10, respectively.
“They had a bad game, but yes, they’re terrific,” Self said of the Cyclones. “I think their bench has gotten better.
Their freshmen - Killyan Toure, Dominykas Pleta, Jamarion Batemon - are good. And obviously, they’ve got three potential All-American type guys starting.”
Self also acknowledged that the Cyclones have bounced back strong since that rough stretch in mid-January, when they dropped back-to-back games to Kansas and Cincinnati. Since then, they’ve looked more like the team that started 16-0.
A Different Team This Time Around
Self isn’t expecting a repeat of the January blowout.
“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,” he said. “But we know we’ll see a different team Saturday than what we saw the first time.”
Otzelberger echoed that sentiment - and gave Kansas plenty of credit for the way they’ve played over the last few weeks.
“They’re playing at a very high level,” he said. “Their confidence has grown immensely. You can tell they’re practicing with great spirit because you see it in the games.”
That confidence has been on full display. Even when Peterson has been out, the Jayhawks have found ways to win. Melvin Council Jr., in particular, has become the engine of this team - a relentless driver who sets the tone with his energy and toughness.
“Council drives everything that they do,” Otzelberger said. “You’re going against a program that has dominated this conference and a coach who is a Hall of Famer. They’re playing at a very high level, and we expect them to come in here and be at their best.”
What’s at Stake
This isn’t just a top-10 matchup. It’s a game that could reshape the Big 12 standings - and the national conversation.
Kansas is trying to keep pace with the league’s elite and build momentum heading into a brutal final stretch. Iowa State is looking to protect home court, stay in the title race, and prove that January’s loss in Lawrence was the outlier - not the norm.
Two teams with Final Four aspirations. Two fanbases that live and breathe college hoops. One raucous arena that’s sure to be rocking.
Saturday can’t come soon enough.