Scott Christopherson doesn’t often talk himself up. After a good performance, you’ll hear him compliment his teammates and coaches before he ever says a good word about himself.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the senior guard was focused more on the Big 12 tournament implications of Saturday’s matchup with No. 9 Baylor than about senior night.

“It’s a huge game in that it’s determinant of the three-seed of the Big 12 tournament. It’s a chance for us to get another quality win on our resume,” Christopherson said. “I think right now that’s more consuming my mind than the senior night being my last game. I don’t exactly know if that will change over the next day or two, but I’m hopeful that it won’t because whether it’s my last game or not, I just want to win the game.”

He and fellow senior Chris Allen will be honored in Hilton Coliseum prior to the tipoff of their game against the Bears, who are riding a three-game win streak.

For Allen, though he hasn’t spent the majority of his college career in Ames, he has certainly seen a lot while playing college basketball. He said it doesn’t matter where he celebrates senior night, but rather that he’s learned a lot along the way.

“Home is where you make it, so I feel like I’m comfortable having senior night where I’m at,” Allen said. “Looking back at [my career], I’ve had some up times, some down times, it was a roller coaster, but it was all worth it.

“[I’ve learned that] the more I work, the better off I am, because it keeps me in a better place.”

For their teammates, the final time Christopherson and Allen take the court at Hilton will be memorable. Despite the postseason implications at stake, the players want to send the seniors out the right way.

Forward Royce White, who’s led the Cyclones this season in nearly every category, said the seniors have played and will play two of the biggest roles on the team.

“[They’ll play] as big a role as anyone; they’re as important to this team as anything we do,” White said. “We’re going to need them to be big, and I’m sure they will be down the stretch.”

As Christopherson said, a win against Baylor on Saturday would give Iowa State the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 tournament, preventing them from facing Kansas State for a third time and allowing more time for the team to prepare.

The last time out, the Cyclones faced their most lopsided defeat on the season, losing in Waco, Texas, to the Bears 79-65. In the wake of that defeat, coach Fred Hoiberg — who, it was announced Thursday, will be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame — said his team simply played too “soft” and would have to change that around for the final regular-season contest.

“That was about as disappointed as I’ve been in our guys,” Hoiberg said of the first Baylor matchup. “They were way too comfortable. We only had a one-day prep for them, which with their length, with the system they play, it’s probably the worst team you could have to have only one day to prepare for.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to play this game again, and I know our players are too.”

For the Baylor game and beyond, Hoiberg too mentioned seniors Christopherson and Allen as guys the team will rely on.

He mentioned Allen’s experience in March, having played in two Final Fours with Michigan State, and also mentioned Christopherson’s increased level of play during the second half of the Big 12 season. He remembered his senior night and hopes the two being honored Saturday get as much out of it as he did.

“It’s going to be a fun night for them,” Hoiberg said. “I still remember my senior night. I didn’t play very well, but it was a great night to have one last chance to play in front of those great fans.

“So my message to them is going to be ‘Enjoy it. Go out and have fun with it. And go out there and try to send off with a great performance and get a win.'”