Anything can happen in Big 12 play and plenty of eyes will be on this early matchup in conference play. Iowa State, still off to a perfect start this season, get their first road test in league play against a Baylor team still finding their footing here in early January. This matchup may lean one way on paper but that’s not the whole story.
There’s a lot to say about Iowa State (14-0) as a result of this unbeaten start, a run that includes that impressive road win at Purdue one month ago. They stockpiled wins against weaker foes and also showed their worth against teams like Creighton, Iowa, and St. John’s, making the Cyclones more than ready to jump into Big 12 play. Their 21-point win over West Virginia last week proved that.
Things haven’t gone too poorly for Baylor (10-3) two months into the season. Scott Drew has an entirely new roster and they’re certainly flying under the radar this year. The Bears struggled against St. John’s but have nice wins over Creighton and San Diego State but are also 0-2 on the road, including a tough effort at TCU this past weekend. This team needs a breakthrough moment.
Iowa State vs. Baylor: When and Where
Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026, 8:00 pm ET
Location: Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas
Iowa State vs. Baylor: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: Peacock
Streaming: FuboTV
Iowa State vs. Baylor: Betting Odds
Spread: Iowa State Cyclones -6, Baylor Bears+6
Moneyline: Iowa State Cyclones -250, Baylor Bears +215
Total: 157.5
Iowa State vs. Baylor: Series History
All-time series: Series tied 25-25
Last meeting: Iowa State 74, Baylor 55 (January 4, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Iowa State Cyclones
Milan Momcilovic (18.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Joshua Jefferson (17.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 5.4 apg)
Tamin Lipsey (14.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 5.9 apg)
Blake Buchanan (10.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
Killyan Toure (10.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Baylor Bears
Cameron Carr (21.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
Tounde Yessoufou (18.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
Dan Skillings Jr. (12.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
Obi Agbim (11.3 ppg, 3.8 apg)
Michael Rataj (10.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
A very talented lineup for Iowa State has secured win after win and cohesive team basketball is a big reason why the Cyclones remain perfect. The offense has been excellent and it’s a big task for the Bears to slow them down. Baylor’s offense really flexes it’s muscles against weaker opposition, but they’ll need special efforts from Carr and the rest against a much stronger opponent in Iowa State. If they’re going to pull this upset at home, they’ll need physicality and to take care of the basketball in this matchup.
Does the perfect run continue for an Iowa State program that looks like one of the nation’s best teams? Is there potential here for Baylor to shock the nation if the can unlock the potential of their offense once again?