PRIMER: No. 3 Iowa State vs. Houston Christian

Who: Iowa State (12-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Houston Christian (5-7, 1-3 Southland)

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

When: Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT

Watch: ESPN+ // Zach Carlyle (PxP) & Derrin Hansen (Analyst)

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

Tipping Off: Following a week-long break for the holidays, Iowa State is set to wrap up non-conference play Monday evening against Houston Christian to close out 2025. ISU will look to go undefeated in regular-season non-conference play for the second time under Coach Otzelberger (2021-22).

Last time out, Iowa State handled Long Beach State, winning by 31 points. Against the Beach, ISU put up 57 first-half points, holding LBSU to just 20, as it cruised to a 12th-consecutive win before taking off for the holidays.

HCU took a 4-4 record into Southland Conference play, but the first four games of the conference slate have been rough as the Huskies enter Hilton riding a three-game skid. The trip to Ames marks the middle point of a three-game road contest, which wraps next Saturday in San Antonio against Incarnate Word.

Storylines:

At No. 3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 40 straight weeks, the sixth-longest streak in the nation. It is the second-longest streak in the Big 12 behind Houston's 114, 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 20 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.
  - Momcilovic earned his first Big 12 weekly honor on Dec. 8, as he scored a team-high 20 points in ISU's road win at No. 1 Purdue.
- 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.
  - Jefferson became just the third player in the last 30 years to record consecutive 10-plus assist, zero turnover games (Syracuse & Alcorn State).

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 206-108 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 107-45 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 60-10 against non-conference opponents. His 60 wins are tied for the sixth-most in the nation, and the .857 winning percentage is the fourth-best.
With its road win over No. 1 Purdue, Iowa State now has 27 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.
The Cyclones are ranked No. 4 in the NET. Iowa State slots in at No. 3 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 6 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

The Cyclones and Huskies will meet for just the second time on Monday evening. In the teams' lone previous meeting (2009), ISU beat then-Houston Baptist 64-56 in Ames.
- Houston Christian, formerly known as Houston Baptist, rebranded in 2022.
For the second-straight season, HCU has had to remake its roster. After adding 11 players last year, the Huskies welcomed ten newcomers in 2025 to pair with five returners. Of the ten newcomers, nine are transfers.
In its 60th year of basketball, HCU looks to build off last year's success as HCU doubled its win total from the previous season, improving from six wins to 12 wins and recording the most conference wins in eight years with nine following just four the season before.
HCU's second-leading scorer and top assist-dealer, Kylin Green, was a former teammate of current-Cyclone Dominick Nelson at Utah Valley last season.
Houston Christian Head Coach Craig Doty is in his second season coaching the Huskies and owns a 17-27 record during his time in Houston.
- The ninth coach in program history, Doty replaced Ron Cottrell, who restarted the program from scratch in 1991 and had been the coach of the Huskies for 33 consecutive seasons. Doty arrived in Houston with 12 years of head college coaching experience and a 259-126 record.
- Head Coach Doty is no stranger to the Midwest. He is a native of Alcester, S.D., and attended Morningside, where he graduated in 2010. He's served as a head coach at Akron-Westfield (HS), Rock Valley College (Ill.), Graceland & Emporia State.
HCU is ranked No. 292 in the NET. The Huskies are No. 286 in KenPom and No. 326 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

PRIMER: No. 3 Iowa State vs. Houston Christian

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PRIMER: No. 3 Iowa State vs. Houston Christian

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