The Cyclones have had a slow rise all season long in the college basketball rankings. Now the No. 2 team in the Big 12, Iowa State is beginning to peak at just the right time. Before their recent loss to Houston, the top team in the Big 12, they had four wins in a row.
In the first matchup in Ames, the Cyclones were able to shut down a late comeback by the Wildcats so much so that they made the game look not as close as it was. These two teams are also set to meet in their final regular season game.
I think the fact that these teams will play at the end of the season is a big reason Kansas State doesn't want to see Iowa State again so soon because it is hard to play the same team closely. The Cyclones are rolling and they are a scary team that I think is one of two real threats to the Jayhawks' throne. This is a team no one wants to see in the Big 12 Tournament and Kansas State doesn't want to see them, especially if they can pull off a win at the end of the season. It is hard to beat a team in back-to-back games.