Iowa State Keeps Climbing: Cyclones Stay Locked In Despite Midseason Stumble
Don’t look now, but Iowa State is putting together a season for the record books. The eighth-ranked Cyclones are 19-2 overall and 6-2 in Big 12 play-marking the best 21-game start in program history. And while a brief two-game skid in mid-January might’ve raised some eyebrows, the Cyclones have responded with the kind of force that makes you take them seriously as a contender.
After starting 16-0-already the best opening stretch in school history-Iowa State hit a speed bump with back-to-back road losses to Kansas and Cincinnati. But here’s the thing about the Big 12: nobody gets through it unscathed. The real question was how the Cyclones would bounce back.
The answer? Emphatically.
Three straight wins, two of them by 30 points or more, have Iowa State right back in rhythm. Their latest statement came Thursday night in a 97-67 dismantling of Colorado, where they uncorked a jaw-dropping 30-1 run.
That kind of dominance doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a product of preparation, depth, and a team that knows exactly who it is.
Freshman Jamarion Batemon was a big part of that Colorado win, dropping 17 points-the second-highest total of his young career. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger praised Batemon’s energy and the entire bench unit’s impact, saying, “In some respects (when the bench was playing), we got better.”
That’s a scary thought for the rest of the Big 12. Iowa State already leans on a strong core of Milan Momcilovic (18.6 PPG), Joshua Jefferson (17.2), and Tamin Lipsey (13.2) to carry the scoring load. If Batemon continues to develop, the Cyclones’ offensive ceiling rises considerably.
But the real backbone of this team is defense. Allowing just 65.0 points per game, Iowa State ranks 15th nationally in scoring defense-and that stingy identity is what Otzelberger wants to see front and center.
“We've gone back to being a hunter instead of being something other than that,” Otzelberger said. “I think that's when we're at our best. Our practice habits have been carrying over into the games.”
That hunter’s mentality will be key heading into Sunday’s road matchup against Kansas State. On paper, this looks like a mismatch.
The Wildcats are 10-11 overall, just 1-7 in conference play, and have dropped seven of their last eight. They’re double-digit underdogs for a reason.
Kansas State’s most recent outing was a 59-54 loss at West Virginia, which dropped them below .500 for the first time this season. That came just days after an 86-62 blowout loss at home to Kansas-a rivalry game that turned into a rout.
Head coach Jerome Tang didn’t sugarcoat it: “They out-toughed us down the stretch,” he said after the West Virginia loss.
Injuries have made things even tougher for the Wildcats. Starters Abdi Bashir Jr., Khamari McGriff, and Elias Rapieque have all missed the last three games, and key reserve Mobi Ikegwuruka has been out for six straight due to personal reasons. That’s a lot of missing firepower for a team already struggling to find its footing.
Still, Kansas State does have one major weapon: P.J. Haggerty.
The dynamic guard ranks fifth in the nation in scoring at 23.0 points per game. But late-game execution has been a challenge, and Tang is looking for more consistency in crunch time.
“I have trust in all my players down the stretch,” Tang said. “You just want to make the right play and play the right way. Sometimes it’s the shot for (Haggerty), and sometimes it’s making the play and getting the ball to somebody else.”
For Iowa State, this is the kind of game that can test a team’s focus. The Cyclones have been rolling, but the trap here is complacency. With Kansas State wounded and reeling, the onus is on Iowa State to keep its edge and stay locked in.
Because in the Big 12, the moment you let up-even for a half-you can find yourself on the wrong end of a surprise.
But if the Cyclones continue to play with the swagger and discipline they’ve shown in recent weeks, they’re not just chasing wins-they’re chasing something bigger.