Iowa vs Iowa State: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Brad Schultz
Iowa and Iowa State renew their historic rivalry inside Hilton Coliseum; can the Hawkeyes escape with a crucial road win or will “Hilton Magic” carry the Cyclones to victory?
TV schedule: Thursday, December 7, 7:30 pm ET. ESPNU
Arena: Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa
It’s December, which means the college basketball season is heating up. With the conference schedule looming, many teams are looking to add crucial, quality non-conference wins to their NCAA tournament resume. The same goes for Iowa and Iowa State, and with bragging rights for a year on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
This is the 77th meeting in the series, with Iowa holding a 48-28 edge. The Hawkeyes dominated last season’s matchup at home, 75-56, and have won four out of the last five in against the Cyclones. But, playing in Ames has proven to be a bit of a challenge, with Iowa State taking nine out of the last 10 at home.
Iowa (5-3) is in the middle of a brutal three-game December stretch. The Hawkeyes were blasted by Purdue on Monday, and will resume conference play on Sunday afternoon against Michigan. But first, they must get past Iowa State on the road, which is no easy task. Against the Boilermakers, Iowa struggled to get its high-octane offense going, and Purdue was able to pick them apart. The Cyclones love to force their opponents into making mistakes, and the Hawkeyes have to play in the open floor in order to have a shot in this one.
The names to watch for the Big Ten team are senior forward Ben Krikke (18.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and junior forward Payton Sandfort (14.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg). Krikke transferred from Valparaiso in the offseason and has shown that he can perform against tough competition with his quick speed and mid-range jumper. Against Iowa State, expect Krikke to force Cyclone big man Robert Jones out of the lane and creating more opportunities for his team. Sandfort’s seemingly endless range can create all sorts of problems for any defense.
Freshman forward Owen Freeman (10.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and senior guard Tony Perkins (12.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Freeman’s stellar play has earned him three Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, and it’s only a sign of things to come. Standing 6-foot-10, he gives the Hawkeyes important size off the bench, and his work on the defensive end has stood out, especially when he blocked three consecutive shots against North Florida a few weeks ago. Perkins has struggled to open up the season, but his ability to get to the basket makes him a dangerous piece in this Hawkeye lineup.
Meanwhile, Iowa State (6-2) returns to their home floor after an impressive 99-80 win on the road against a struggling DePaul program. Sure, the Blue Demons might be the worst team in the Power Six, but it certainly brought fans some optimism after an uninspiring showing at the ESPN Events Invitational, where the Clones went 1-2.
Sophomore point guard Tamin Lipsey (15.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg), serves as the leading scorer and distributor for the Cyclone offense and is the key to this unit having any success. The Ames native is coming off of a solid freshman campaign, and has prioritized his jump-shot as an area of improvement this season. The results have paid off, as he is shooting 36 percent from deep this year, compared to the measly 20 percent a season ago. Freshman forward Milan Momcilovic (13.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg) is Iowa State’s best three-point shooter at around 44 percent.
Under head coach TJ Otzelberger, the Cyclones have been known for their aggressive style of play on defense, and this squad looks to be no different. Through the season’s first eight games, Iowa State has only allowed 58.9 points per game, which is the eighth best in the nation. They are going to force Iowa to earn every bucket, and it will be crucial for them, to get out in transition in order to maintain their frantic style of play. But, fans remain concerned about the team’s offense, which has cooled off after a few buy games. Iowa State has averaged 82.9 points per game this season, but only 66 points per game against the three best teams on their schedule.
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Both of these clubs play different styles, but it’s hard to ignore Iowa State’s struggles on the offensive end, especially against . It certainly helps playing in front of the home crowd, but they are going to have a hard time defending the Hawkeyes in the open floor. The Hawkeyes have already played at Creighton and Purdue, so I’m going to trust them to make enough shots and come away with a close win.