Iowa State isn’t kidding itself. The team knows exactly what is at stake during its final week of the regular season.

No matter how much the focus may be on the final home game Wednesday, March 6, 2013, against No. 13 Oklahoma State, there is no doubting that Iowa State (19-10, 9-7 Big 12) is aware of the NCAA tournament implications the final week will carry.

“Our guys know; they know what’s at stake,” said ISU coach Fred Hoiberg of the NCAA tournament picture. “They know they’ve got to come out and give it great effort. Everybody has a cellphone. I think most of our guys are on Twitter or Facebook and all that stuff. So, they know what’s at stake.”

Iowa State’s games against Oklahoma State and West Virginia carry even more meaning after the team suffered its worst loss of the season Saturday, March 2, against Oklahoma. Hoiberg said his team lacked energy in that loss, which was surprising to him considering the magnitude of the game.

The magnitude, though, isn’t Hoiberg’s focal point.

“I try not to talk a lot about the NCAA tournament,” Hoiberg said. “I try to talk about the task at hand, and on Saturday, it was Oklahoma.”

Even so, it would be difficult not to look at the NCAA tournament picture when that is the central focus of everyone else. The Cyclones have been asked about their resume week after week this season, and now, they’ve reached crunch time.

With so many close, late losses this season, it would be easy for Iowa State to look at what could have been. Two overtime losses to now-No. 4 Kansas, a late loss to a ranked Oklahoma State and a double-overtime defeat at the hands of Texas all smudge the team’s Big 12 record.

Those losses can’t be changed, however, so the Cyclones have no option but to look at what can be done with their final week.

“It is what it is; we are where we are,” Hoiberg said. “You look back at what could have been having a chance to be 13-3, but we’re not. We’re 9-7 with two opportunities in front of us plus the Big 12 tournament. So, we’re going to take it one at a time.”

One win would get Iowa State to the coveted 10-win conference mark and 20 wins overall. Both of those numbers have become keys to the NCAA tournament in the past.

The Cowboys also provide an opportunity for a victory against a quality ranked opponent while the Mountaineers provide the chance for a coveted road victory.

“[During] these last two opportunities, we have to put these games on our resume,” said ISU guard Chris Babb. “[We are] trying to beat a ranked opponent at home and then to go out and win on the road against West Virginia. It’s two games that I think we’re definitely capable of winning.”

As Hoiberg suspects, his team knows what’s on the line.

“Win these next two games for sure,” said ISU guard Korie Lucious of what Iowa State needs to do. “That would help us going into the conference tournament and just trying to get as many wins as we can and try and get that [Big 12] championship.”