PRIMER: No. 10 Iowa State vs. Alcorn State

Who: Iowa State (7-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Alcorn State (1-8, 0-0 SWAC)

Where: Hilton Coliseum (14,267) – Ames, Iowa

When: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT

Watch: ESPN+ // BJ Schaben (PxP), Derrin Hansen (Analyst) & Shannon Ehrhardt (Sideline)

Listen: Cyclone Radio Network // John Walters (PxP) & Eric Heft (Analyst)

Tipping Off: After a week's reprieve from its 3-0 run in the Players Era Championship, Iowa State will be back in action Wednesday evening when it faces Alcorn State. The Cyclones will look to start the year 8-0 for the second time under Coach Otzelberger and for the third time in the last ten seasons.

Iowa State enters Wednesday's contest having blasted Syracuse in the Players Era finale, besting the Orange by 31 and winning 95-64. Five Cyclones finished the week averaging double-figure scoring, and ISU's average margin of victory in the tournament was 16.7 points.

Like the Cyclones, Alcorn State enters Wednesday's competition coming off a Thanksgiving tournament of its own. This past week, ASU went 1-1 in Louisiana Tech's multi-team event in Ruston, La. Alcorn beat Indiana State for the school's first win of the season before falling to host La Tech in the finale.

Storylines:

At No. 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll, Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 37 straight weeks, the seventh-longest streak in the nation. It is the second-longest streak in the Big 12 behind Houston's 111, which is the longest streak in the country.
- The Cyclones and Cougars are the only two Big 12 schools to have streaks of at least 15 weeks.
The Cyclones had three players named to the Naismith Starting Five Preseason Watch lists. Iowa State was one of nine schools in the country to have at least three players named. Along with three selections on the women's side, ISU was one of just five schools in the country to have at least six combined selections.
- Tamin Lipsey was named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List.
  - Lipsey is also on both the Wooden Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch Lists.
- Milan Momcilovic was named to the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Watch List.
- Joshua Jefferson was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List. Former Cyclone Georges Niang won the award in 2016.
  - Jefferson, like Lipsey, is also on the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List.
  - Jefferson was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 1 for his performance in his home city of Las Vegas, where he averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists across three games.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 201-108 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 102-45 record over the last four years.
- He earned his 100th win at Iowa State against HOF coach Rick Pitino and No. 14 St. John's in the Players Era Championship opener on Nov. 24.
- He then earned his 200th win over his mentor and former head coach Greg McDermott on Nov. 25.
- His 95 wins in his first four years at Iowa State were the most by any coach in program history in their first four years as head coach.
Under Otz, ISU is 55-10 against non-conference opponents. His 55 wins are the ninth-most in the nation, and the .844 winning percentage is the fifth-best.
With last week's win over St. John's, Iowa State has 26 wins over top 25 teams since Otzelberger took over (2021-22). That is tied for the fourth-most in the nation during that stretch.
Otz has led Iowa State to three 20-plus win seasons, joining Orr (5), Hoiberg (4), Floyd (3) and Prohm (3) as only ISU coaches to do so multiple times.
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.
- In four postseason appearances, Otzelberger has five NCAA Tournament wins – the most by any coach in program history.
Otz currently holds the school's highest winning percentage by a head coach.
As of Tuesday morning, Iowa State slots in at No. 4 in both the KenPom rankings and the ESPN Basketball Power Index, while it is No. 7 in the NET.

Switching Sides:

Alcorn will face Iowa State for the third time in program history this evening.
- ISU is 2-0 all-time and the teams last met in 2017 with the Cyclones earning a 78-58 win in Hilton.
ISU will be Alcorn State's sixth power conference opponent of its first ten games of the season. In total, ASU is facing nine power conference opponents in non-con play.
ASU returned three players from last year's team in Davian Williams, Tycen McDaniels and Omari Hamilton. It filled out its roster with eight transfers and one freshman.
The Braves were picked to finish 10th out of 12 in the SWAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. Last season, they finished sixth with an 11-7 conference record.
Alcorn State is one of just five programs in the country to not have a home game so far this season. ASU will be the last of 365 DI schools to host a home competition this year, as the Braves' first home game is on January 17.
Alcorn State head coach Jake Morton is in his first season at the helm of the Brave basketball program. He is 1-8 during his time in Lorman, Miss.
- Morton was named the 15th head coach in Alcorn State history last April. It is Morton's first head coaching gig. He spent last season as an assistant coach under the legendary Leonard Hamilton at Florida State.
- Morton replaced former Alcorn coach and 2021-22 SWAC Coach of the Year Landon Bussie, who was hired by Chicago State to lead its program this past offseason.
Alcorn State is ranked No. 320 in the NET. The Braves are No. 330 in KenPom and No. 344 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

PRIMER: No. 10 Iowa State vs. Alcorn State

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PRIMER: No. 10 Iowa State vs. Alcorn State

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