NCAA Basketball: Wisconsin, Duke, Creighton rise in latest top 25 power rankings
By Joey Loose
23. Iowa State (16-4)
Each of Iowa State’s four losses this season have come away with home, with a pair of losses at the ESPN Events Invitational and two more in tricky Big 12 road atmospheres. The Cyclones have played very solid basketball for the most part this season, as T. J. Otzelberger continues shaping this program into a legitimate contender in the nation’s strongest conference. Fortunately, Iowa State did not leave home this past week and got two more resume-aiding wins.
Wednesday’s win wasn’t the standout, but there are no complaints after a 78-67 home victory against Kansas State. A 19-point effort from Milan Momcilovic helped lead the way while Keshon Gilbert added 15 points and 13 rebouds. The real highlight was Saturday, as the Cyclones won 79-75 against Kansas, surviving a high-powered second half to get the upset win. Tre King was the game’s leading scorer with 21 points and 9 rebounds while Gilbert added 16 points this time around.
These Cyclones have had a few rough outings this season but clearly know how to win at home, also beating an elite Houston squad in Ames just a few weeks ago. We’re by no means saying that home-court advantage caused these wins; this Iowa State squad is tough and has talent all over their rotation. There’s no question that the Cyclones, now 5-2 in the Big 12, can compete for this league’s crown, but how will they fare with road trips to Baylor and Texas in the weeks ahead?