Who: No. 12 Iowa State (24-8, 13-7 Big 12) vs. No. 17 BYU (23-8, 14-6 Big 12)
Where: T-Mobile Center (18,689) – Kansas City, Mo.
When: Thursday, March 13, 2025 – 11:30 a.m. CT
Watch: ESPN // Jon Sciambi (PxP), Fran Fraschilla (Analyst), Kris Budden (Reporter)
Listen: Cyclone Radio Network // John Walters (PxP) & Eric Heft (Analyst)
Tipping Off: After winning its opening round game of the Big 12 Championship for the third straight season, Iowa State will look to avenge its Senior Night loss to top-20 BYU in quarterfinal action. ISU will continue attempting to become just the second non-top four seed in tournament history to cut down the nets (ISU was the fifth seed in 2019 when it won the tournament).
The Cyclones dispatched of Cincinnati in their opening round game, beating the Bearcats by 20 points. Four Cyclones finished in double figures as ISU handled the 13th seed. Iowa State has won four straight games in the Big 12 Championship, the second-longest streak in school history.
BYU enters Thursday’s contest looking to win its opening round game for the second straight season. The Cougars enter March red-hot, as they’ve won eight-straight contests – tied for the eighth-longest streak in the country.
Storylines:
- Iowa State’s “sixth starter,” Curtis Jones was named the Big 12’s Sixth Man of the Year earlier this week and was also named a First Team All-League selection.
- Saint Mary’s transfer Joshua Jefferson has been a revelation for the Cyclones this season, as the versatile big man was named to both the All-Big 12 Second Team and All-Newcomer team earlier this week.
- The school’s all-time leader in steals, Tamin Lipsey was again recognized for his defensive prowess as he was named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team and the All-Big 12 Third Team earlier this week.
- The engine that drives the Cyclones, Keshon Gilbert was also recognized by the league’s coaches as he was also named to the All-Big 12 Third Team. Gilbert leads all Cyclones in minutes played despite being hampered by a muscle strain as of late.
- Sophomore wing Milan Momcilovic averages 11.1 points per game and shoots the 3-ball at the highest clip on the team at 40.9 percent. After missing just about a month of game action due to injury, he returned to the starting lineup on Feb. 8 against TCU.
From the Notes:
- As a head coach, Otz is 193-106 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 94-43 record over the last four years.
- 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.
- Otz will attempt to become the first coach in program history to take a team to the NCAA Tournament in his first four years as coach.
- Iowa State has been ranked in the Top 15 for 28-straight weeks. That is the third-longest streak in the country behind Tennessee’s 35 and Duke’s 32.
- The Cyclones are ranked No. 9 in the NET. Iowa State slots in at No. 9 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 7 in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index.
Switching Sides:
- Iowa State and BYU are meeting for the tenth time Thursday and the second time this season.
- ISU holds a 7-2 all-time advantage over the Cougars but dropped the previous meeting in double overtime at Hilton Coliseum.
- BYU guard Richie Saunders won back-to-back Big 12 Player of the Week honors late in the season and was named the league’s Most Improved Player as well as a Big 12 All-First Team member.
- Saunders averaged 17.9 points per game in conference play and scored 20-plus points nine times against league opponents.
- BYU head coach Kevin Young is in his first season at the helm of the Cougar basketball program. Young is 23-8 in his lone collegiate coaching season.
- Named the 19th head coach in BYU men’s basketball history, Young spent the last 18 years coaching professionally and the last eight seasons in the NBA with the 76ers and Suns.
- BYU Coach Kevin Young is no stranger to Central Iowa, as he was the head coach of the Iowa Energy in the NBA D-League. Young was the second coach in franchise history, replacing Nick Nurse in 2011.
- BYU is ranked No. 26 in the NET. The Cougars are No. 24 in KenPom and No. 24 in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index.
