These recent weeks have shown us that the Big 12 is a strong conference and we’ll see a notable matchup on Tuesday between two of those surprise teams. UCF heads to Iowa State with both teams looking to continue starts that were better than expected, though both teams are also looking for bounce back efforts after tough Saturday outings.
Not many thought that UCF (14-3) could be a legitimate threat in the Big 12 this season and we’re still trying to answer that question. This team won at Texas A&M back in November and caught national attention for a nice win over Kansas just a few weeks ago. The Knights pushed Arizona in a close loss this past weekend and are hoping to show that they can hang around in this conference, even with that tough loss to Oklahoma State already on the resume.
Similarly, a hot start from Iowa State (16-2) included an unbeaten start with sixteen straight weeks before everything fell apart this week. While the Cyclones had looked great in previous double-digit wins at Purdue and Baylor, Iowa State lost a pair of games on the road at Kansas and Cincinnati with their two worst defensive efforts of the season, falling to 3-2 in the Big 12. T. J. Otzelberger and this steady crew is clearly looking to bounce back at home.
UCF vs. Iowa State: When and Where
Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 7:00 pm ET
Location: Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa
UCF vs. Iowa State: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: CBSSN
Streaming: FuboTV
UCF vs. Iowa State: Betting Odds
Spread: Iowa State Cyclones -14.5, UCF Knights +14.5
Moneyline: Iowa State Cyclones -1099, UCF Knights +750
Total: 155
UCF vs. Iowa State: Series History
All-time series: Iowa State leads 3-0
Last meeting: Iowa State 77, UCF 65 (February 11, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
UCF Knights
Riley Kugel (14.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Themus Fulks (14.0 ppg, 7.4 apg)
Jordan Burks (12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Jamichael Stillwell (12.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg)
John Bol (5.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
Iowa State Cyclones
Milan Momcilovic (18.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg)
Joshua Jefferson (17.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.9 apg)
Tamin Lipsey (13.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.3 apg)
Killyan Toure (9.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
Blake Buchanan (8.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
Iowa State has one of the best homecourt advantages in the nation and this will be quite the challenge for the Knights. UCF really needs Kugel to have a standout performance while Stillwell and the rest of the frontcourt will have their hands full. Even in terrible defeat, Iowa State just got a great performance out of Momcilovic, who will almost certainly be the best player on the court in this matchup. After all those struggles last week, Iowa State will be looking to put that behind them and make a statement back at home. It’s all about if their defense can have a dominant bounce back effort and contain a feisty UCF team that has surprised a few people.
Can this hungry UCF team find a way to play consistent and smart basketball for 40 minutes and pull off a monumental upset? Do the Cyclones get themselves back on track with an improved defensive effort now that they’re back at home?