NCAA Basketball top 25 power rankings: UCLA and Kentucky rise, Kansas falls
By Joey Loose
20. Iowa State (16-5)
We’ve talked every week about how great that 12-0 start was for Iowa State under new leadership, but how they performed in Big 12 play was going to matter the most. There have been some struggles against some very tough opponents this past month, struggles that are very understandable. Fortunately, this past week helped get the Cyclones back on track.
The important win came on Wednesday, as the Cyclones toppled Oklahoma State 84-81 in overtime on the road. The offense was dynamic, getting 26 points from Izaiah Brockington, as the Cyclones had one of their better offensive performances on the year. Saturday provided another win for Iowa State, handing a 67-50 loss to Missouri and making it a perfect week.
Iowa State is just 3-5 in the Big 12, but when you look at their schedule it’s hard to fault them for that record. The Cyclones are a much-improved team compared to last season, and that in itself is really impressive. We’ll have to see if that strong defense can continue to play well, especially on those days when the offense isn’t clicking. It’s safe to say they’ll need that offense operational, especially with games against Kansas and Texas next week.