How to watch
Channel: ESPN2 I Fubo TV
Date: Wednesday, January 24
Game Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Radio: K-State Sports Network
Venue: Hilton Coliseum
All-time series
- Kansas State leads the all-time series 145-92 over Iowa State
- Both teams are tied 5-5 in the last 10 matchups
- Kansas State is an even 54-54 when playing at Iowa State
Odds
By no surprise, Iowa State is favored in this matchup. What does surprise me is that they are 7.5 points favorite according to Vegas. I figured the line would have been closer, I did not expect the Cyclones to be favored even that much. The over/under on this game is 134.5.
I think the game is going to be closer than Vegas is predicting. Even though I will be picking the upset later in my prediction, I think it is going to be a close game. Both of these defenses are very good, so I will probably take the under in this game with neither team cracking 70 points.
Key matchups
Cam Carter is the leading scorer for the Wildcats and it will be important for him to get going in this game, but I am going to surprise people here and say that Arthur Kaluma needs to get the ball. He has the hot hand lately, scoring 23 points against Oklahoma State, the most of anyone on the team.
Carter and Perry are a one-two punch and I do believe that after a down game against Oklahoma State, Perry will bounce back. However, when K-State can get Carter, Perry, and Kaluma all working in sync, they become a very scary team to play against. All three players are top 15 scoring in the Big 12.
Carter will have to go head-to-head against Iowa State's leading scorer Tamin Lipsey. While his numbers are worse than Carter, Perry, and Kaluma, he is still a good playmaker all over the court. The big key matchup will be the Cyclones' defense against this big three. The Cyclones are ranked are ranked second in defense in the Big 12. So if K-State's big three can get off to a hot start, they just bit be able to build a lead their defense can hold.
Prediction
Like I mentioned earlier, I am going to take the upset in this matchup. I think Kansas State is going to use the momentum of beating Baylor and then not falling into the trap game against Oklahoma State to go into Ames and beat Iowa State. I think it is going to be a close battle with a lot of lead changes, but the Wildcats will string together a couple stops and then quality buckets late to take more of a lead.
Iowa State will have the crowd and the ranking on their side, but they got beat up by BYU and barely beat a TCU team that struggled against Oklahoma State Tuesday. I think Jerome Tang will come ready with a solid game plan to win the game late and the Wildcats will leave Ames on a three-game win streak.