Christian Royston, Sports Editor
No. 8 Iowa State 84, Oklahoma 73
Although Oklahoma came out on top in the last matchup between the teams, it does feel as though years have passed since that meeting. Since the first game of Big 12 play, Iowa State continues to prove itself as a top-10 team in the nation, while Oklahoma has continued to slide down the rankings.
The Cyclones are playing their best basketball, especially at home, so I am siding with them in this matchup. Oklahoma is coming off an overtime thriller, where the Sooners knocked down a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to overcome Oklahoma State on the road.
Even with the momentum from that win coming into play, Iowa State is leagues better than Oklahoma State, and Hilton is a much tougher environment to play in. I see this game playing out similar to Oklahoma’s other ranked matchups on the road, when Kansas and Baylor took down the Sooners by double-digit points.
I am not going to overthink this matchup. With Hilton playing a factor, I see Iowa State continuing to roll through Big 12 play.
No. 8 Iowa State 74, UCF 67
This does feel like a trap game for Iowa State. Although the matchup is easy on paper, UCF has been prone to upsetting teams that enter its turf.
A handful of matchups come to mind, as UCF took down a top-10 Kansas team, a ranked Oklahoma team and most recently a ranked Texas Tech team at home. Something about the air in Florida catches teams off guard.
Iowa State should enter the matchup with a good amount of momentum and has already proven it can win on the road. However, I do not want to fully guarantee a win here.
I still believe Iowa State will get the job done, but it could be tighter than expected. With the Big 12 Tournament quickly approaching and the top of the conference still up for grabs, I see Iowa State proving why it should not be underestimated.
Logan Shanks, Assistant Sports Editor
No. 8 Iowa State 77, Oklahoma 69
The Cyclones are a completely different team from when they faced the Sooners in their Big 12 opener in January, and they are catching Oklahoma on a bad stretch. The Sooners are coming off of a three-game streak where Baylor and Kansas have blown them out, and most recently a win against Oklahoma State that came down to a miracle buzzer-beater.
Although Iowa State will be coming off a sluggish performance against West Virginia, it showed the ability to lock in when needed to, which I see happening against Oklahoma.
One thing the Cyclones struggled with against Oklahoma in their first affair was scoring, as Hason Ward, Robert Jones and Milan Momcilovic led the way with 12 each. The duo of Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert combined for just 10 points, but the two guards are heading into Wednesday’s game immensely better than last time.
The Sooners are 3-4 on the road in the Big 12, with all of their losses by at least nine points and Iowa State has won its games at home by an average of 10 points. Simply put, Oklahoma is entering dangerous territory on a late-season skid, which should continue against the Cyclones.
No. 8 Iowa State 77, UCF 68
Wrapping up what should be a fairly easy game for the Cyclones is a matchup with the Golden Knights who are on one of the worst stretches among Big 12 teams. UCF has lost six of its last eight games, although each loss by an average of less than seven points, and with this being on the road the Cyclones can’t overlook them like they did West Virginia.
Even if Iowa State does not get its offense going early on like it has failed to do in recent games, its defense and UCF’s lack of offense should keep the Cyclones in control. The Golden Knights are averaging 41% from the field this season and 39% in Big 12 play, the lowest among the 14 teams.
I think if there was any trap game, it was West Virginia, which the Cyclones escaped. The Golden Knights have had a rough first year in the Big 12, and Iowa State is next on the list of the welcome committee.
