The ISU men’s basketball team is in a position that no other team in the country wants to be in right now — playing the hottest team in the country on the road.

Oklahoma State, 16-1 and 5-0 in the Big 12, is heading into Wednesday’s game with the longest current winning streak in the country at 14 games. The Cowboys have not lost since Nov. 29 when they were defeated by the College of Charleston, 66-58.

The win streak includes five Big 12 wins, three of them coming on the road, most recently winning at Texas Tech, 79-70.

“It will be our toughest game by far this year,” head coach Larry Eustachy said. “But it will be good for our guys, a good learning experience.”

Oklahoma State isn’t the only team with momentum, though, as Iowa State, 11-5 and 1-4 in Big 12 play, is coming off its first conference win Saturday against Nebraska, 71-61.

“It’s nice. We needed to win,” Eustachy said. “I think we’re way behind as a team and we need to get better quick.”

The team was relieved to get that first conference win, but veterans like Jake Sullivan know not to get too excited.

“This happened last year,” Sullivan said. “We beat Missouri and we got so excited that we didn’t win our next eight games, so we can’t let that happen again. We have to stay focused, we got our biggest challenge coming up.”

Sullivan single-handedly kept Iowa State in the Nebraska game, scoring the team’s first 13 points and ending with 23 in the game. He continues to lead the team with 18 points per game.

“I’m really just trying to stay focused and do what needs to be done to help this team win,” Sullivan said. “It was my fault we lost at Missouri, I really do believe that.”

“His teammates worked harder to free him, which we’ve been working on,” Eustachy said.

“He worked hard to get open and he’ll make those shots when he’s open.”

Sullivan, and others from last year’s team, may also be looking for a little revenge as Oklahoma State put an end to Iowa State’s home conference win streak with a three-point victory in Hilton last season.

On a similar note, the Cyclones are looking to break an 11-game conference road losing streak. After setting a Big 12 conference record with blocked shots in a game with 17 against Nebraska, the key to ending that streak will come on the defensive end.

“It proved that we’re a good defensive team,” Tim Barnes said after the Nebraska game. “Hopefully when we go down [to Oklahoma State] and we execute like that, we can come home with a win.”

Barnes finally struck gold with his shooting against Nebraska, scoring 17 points, making seven of 13 attempts. He was a combined 5-for-31 in his previous four games.

“Tim Barnes is they key to this team,” Eustachy said. “He loses confidence easily and he gains confidence easily. He’s a fragile guy. I think I’ve got him convinced that if he never makes a basket here again, he can help us win a lot of games.”

Eustachy, who said he has pulled Barnes aside and is coaching him like a quarterback, has made Barnes well-aware of what he needs to do to be effective.

“I’ve been staying after practice, getting up extra shots and coach has been working hard with me,” Barnes said.

“In order for us to be a good team I have step it up on the defensive end.”

The defense in the backcourt will be key for Iowa State, as the Cowboys are lead by guards Tony Allen, who leads the team with more than 16 points per game, and Victor Williams.

Along the 14 points he brings each night, Williams’ quick hands have gotten him 38 steals so far this season.

Ivan McFarlin, who was Sullivan’s teammate on the Big 12 Scandinavian Tour last year, leads Oklahoma State in rebounding with eight per game.

Following Wednesday’s game, Iowa State will return home to host Baylor on Saturday.