PRIMER: No. 8 Iowa State at Kansas State

Who: Iowa State (19-2, 6-2 Big 12) at Kansas State (10-11, 1-7 Big 12)

Where: Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) – Manhattan, Kan.

When: Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 – 1 p.m. CT

Watch: FOX // Noah Reed (PxP) & Miles Simon (Analyst)

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

Tipping Off: Iowa State will look to open the month of February with a win, as it heads to the Little Apple to square off with K-State. The Cyclones will be playing a Big 12 Sunday contest for the first time since Feb. 5, 2006, when they bested No. 25 Colorado at home, 96-79.

Last time out, the Cyclones earned their second-straight home victory by 30 points as they dispatched Colorado, 97-67. The win was ISU's eighth of 30-plus points this year, second against a Big 12 foe, and seventh to have come at Hilton Coliseum.

Kansas State looks to turn a new page in February, as the Wildcats struggled in January. K-State went just 1-7 in Big 12 action in the first month of 2026 and is coming off a road loss at West Virginia.

Storylines:

At No. 8 in the AP Top 25 Poll, Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 44 straight weeks, the fifth-longest streak in the nation. It is the second-longest streak in the Big 12 behind Houston's 118, 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 25 weeks.
The Cyclones started the season 16-0, the best start in school history. ISU moved to 19-2 for the first time in program history, the best mark through 21 games by a Cyclone team.
In five seasons under Coach Otzelberger, the Cyclones have been known for their defense, as they have ranked as a top-15 unit in the country each year, and 2025-26 is no different (according to KenPom defensive rating).
The Cyclones had three players named to the Naismith Starting Five Preseason Watch lists – Tamin Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson.
Joshua Jefferson has recorded two triple-doubles this season, tied for the most in the country.
- Jefferson became the first player in program history to have multiple triple-doubles in a career.
- He is just the third Big 12 player with multiple triple-doubles, but is the first to accomplish both in conference games.
Milan Momcilovic has been the nation's best marksman this season, as the junior leads the country in 3-point percentage.
- Momcilovic has six 25-plus point games so far this season for ISU.
Tamin Lipsey holds the most steals in program history and is in the top four in Big 12 history for career steals.
- He holds the most wins against Big 12 opponents by any active player.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 213-110 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 114-47 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 was the quickest coach in school history to 100 career wins, doing so in 145 games.
- 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.
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 the fifth-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 Friday, the Cyclones are ranked No. 6 in the NET. Iowa State slots in at No. 4 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 6 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

Kansas State will face Iowa State for the 243rd time in program history, with K-State holding a 147-95 all-time advantage.
- The Wildcats are 85-27 all-time at home against ISU.
- Kansas State is one of just eight schools that Iowa State has faced over 100 times. The others include Kansas (260), Missouri (237), Nebraska (234), Oklahoma (217), Drake (175), Colorado (152) and Oklahoma State (143).
  - K-State is ISU's second-most common opponent in school history, behind Kansas.
K-State has played over 400 games vs. ranked teams in its history, posting a 138-302 (.316) record, including 28-86 (.248) vs. the top-5, 56-152 (.272) vs. the top-10, and 80-213 (.275) vs. the top-15.
- K-State has 45 wins vs. ranked foes in the last 13 seasons, including 17 vs. the top 10 (one over No. 1), and 34 Top 25 wins at home.
Wildcat guard P.J. Haggerty is fifth among career active scoring leaders in the country.
The Wildcats were picked to finish ninth out of 16 in the Big 12 men's basketball preseason poll after finishing tied for ninth last season.
Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang is in his fourth season at the helm of the Wildcat basketball program. Tang is 71-53 with KSU after a long assistant coaching career with Scott Drew at Baylor.
- After taking the Wildcats to the Elite Eight in his first season, Tang's K-State squad has gone just 45-43 over the last three seasons.
As of Friday, Kansas State is ranked No. 87 in the NET. The Wildcats are No. 88 in KenPom and No. 69 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

PRIMER: No. 8 Iowa State at Kansas State

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PRIMER: No. 8 Iowa State at Kansas State

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