No. 3 Iowa State at Arizona Primer

Who: No. 3 Iowa State (17-2, 7-1 Big 12) at Arizona (13-6, 7-1 Big 12)

Where: McKale Memorial Center (14,688) – Tucson, Ariz.

When: Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 – 9:30 p.m. CT

Watch/Listen: ESPN / Cyclone Radio Network

Tipping Off: After kicking off its two-game stint in the Grand Canyon State with a 15-point win over Arizona State on Saturday, Iowa State looks to make a sweep of its westward swing when it travels to Arizona for a Big Monday matchup. The Cyclones and Wildcats will be the only Big 12 programs on display Monday evening, drawing a prime time, late-night broadcast.

ISU moved to 7-1 in league play this weekend, overcoming a seven-point second-half deficit to surge past the Sun Devils and claim victory in the desert. The 7-1 league play start is the second-best in school history, while the team's 17-2 record through 19 games is tied with the 1995 squad for the best 19-game start in school history.

Arizona, like Iowa State, is 7-1 in Big 12 play, tied for second place in the conference behind Houston. The Wildcats have won eight of their last nine outings, and they are led by Preseason All-Big 12 First Team honoree Caleb Love. Love averages a team-best 15.3 points as he paces the Arizona offense.

Storylines:

Iowa State's "sixth starter," Curtis Jones, has become an actual starter the last couple of times out, filling in for an injury. Since being inserted into the starting lineup, the one-time Big 12 Player of the Week has averaged 23.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and is shooting over 44 percent from deep.
Keshon Gilbert, the team's "engine," has taken a leap in his second season as a Cyclone, leading the team in minutes and assists. He has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice this season and was added to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List on Jan. 7.
A Preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection, Tamin Lipsey has been the glue of Iowa State's team. A known defensive menace, Lipsey leads the team in steals and is second on the team in assists.
Saint Mary's transfer Joshua Jefferson has been a revelation for the Cyclones this season. Jefferson leads the team in rebounding, has eight double-doubles and has earned four Big 12 Newcomer of the Week awards.
Sophomore wing Milan Momcilovic averages just over 10 points per game and shoots the 3-ball at the highest clip on the team at 44 percent. It was announced on Jan. 15 that he would miss some time with a hand injury.
A transfer from Charlotte, big man Dishon Jackson has been a force in the paint. He leads the team in blocks and averages 9.2 points with 4.7 rebounds.
A Swiss army knife off the bench, Nate Heise has really come into his own. His defensive ability to lock opposing players down and ability to cut to space has been huge.
Seattle transfer Brandton Chatfield has been a glass-eater off the bench. The senior leads the team in offensive rebounds and constantly earns ISU more possessions.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 186-100 overall and has led the Cyclones to an 87-37 record over the last four years.
- ISU is 56-8 in games at Hilton Coliseum under Otzelberger.
Iowa State has won 29 straight home games at Hilton Coliseum, which is the second-longest active home winning streak in the country and the second-longest in school history.
Coach Otzelberger is the only Iowa State men's basketball coach to take multiple teams to the Sweet 16.
- He was the 51st coach in NCAA Division I history to take a team to the Sweet 16 twice in his first three years on the job.
- Otz will attempt to become the first coach in program history to take a team to the NCAA Tournament in his first four years as coach.
Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 10 for 20 straight weeks, the longest streak in the country.
- Iowa State has been ranked in the Top 5 for 21 weeks in the poll history, with 11 of those weeks coming this season.
Iowa State currently boasts the top-scoring offense in the Big 12, averaging 84.6 points per contest.
The Cyclones are ranked No. 6 in the NET. Iowa State slots in at No. 4 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 4 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

Iowa State and Arizona are meeting for the eighth time on Monday and the first time since 2018 when they met in the Maui Invitational.
- ISU has played Arizona in Tucson three times and is 1-2 in such games.
The Wildcats were picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 as part of the preseason poll. Like Iowa State, the Wildcats got one first-place vote.
Arizona is 43-1 under Tommy Lloyd when scoring at least 90 points in a game, including all 7 wins this season.
Arizona's Caleb Love is over 2,000 career points, while Trey Townsend sits at 1,998, needing just two more to reach the milestone number.
- Love needs 61 more points to join the 1,000-point club with Arizona – a feat that he will likely hit in just two seasons.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd is in his fourth season at the helm of the Wildcat basketball program. Lloyd is 101-26 with Arizona and prior to earning his first head coaching job, was an assistant coach at Gonzaga for 20 years.
- He earned his 100th career win on Tuesday, downing Oklahoma State.
  - Lloyd was the tenth-fastest coach in NCAA history to hit 100 career wins.
- The Wildcats are 55-4 (.932) at home over the last three-plus seasons under Lloyd, tied for the fifth-best winning percentage in the country.
Arizona is ranked No. 16 in the NET. The Wildcats are No. 16 in KenPom and No. 8 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

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Players Mentioned

Brandton Chatfield

Keshon Gilbert

Nate Heise

Dishon Jackson

Joshua Jefferson

Curtis Jones

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

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Iowa State University Athletics