No. 17 Iowa State (19-9, 8-7 Big 12) will host Kansas State (15-13, 4-11 Big 12) at 5 p.m. Saturday. Here are the four biggest story lines heading one of Iowa state’s three remaining games. 

1. Can’t overlook Kansas State

While the Wildcats have only won four games in conference play this season, they aren’t a team to be overlooked.

Kansas State upset Oklahoma earlier this month. They were just nine points shy of pulling off an upset win against Kansas last week, and fell to Texas by just one point two days later.

The Cyclones won the last meeting between the two teams by 13 points, giving them seven of the last 10 wins against the Wildcats. But ISU point guard Monté Morris knows how tough of a team Kansas State can truly be. 

“When it’s a tough team you’re playing against, no matter what level, it’s going to be hard enough to beat them,” Morris said. “Their record might not show really how well coached and how many good players they have just because of the depth in the conference. We’re not going to overlook them.”

2. Bracketology focus

With only three games left in the regular season, coaches, players and fans all look ahead to tournament season, paying attention to the dozens of mock brackets floating around. 

ISU coach Steve Prohm is no different.

“I just do it because I’m a junkie about it,” he said.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Cyclones lined up in several different spots in the different mock brackets.

Iowa State would be a No. 5 seed in Denver, according to USA Today. Joe Lunardi of ESPN has Iowa State as a No. 4 seed in Denver, and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports has the team as a No. 5 seed in Spokane, Wash.

While anything can happen in the time leading up to Selection Sunday, Prohm said it’s still beneficial to look at the brackets.

“It just gives you an idea of where you are at,” Prohm said. “Last year we were a 3 [seed], [and] this year, right now, they have us at a 4 [seed]. We’re right there, and if we finish strong we probably could move up just because we have a lot of quality wins.”

3. Nader’s late surge

Redshirt senior Abdel Nader graduated after the winter semester, giving him more time to dedicate to the game.

“Graduating was a big deal for me,” Nader said. “It’s helped me relax a lot more. It’s not a coincidence that I’m playing my best basketball at the same time.”

He’s not wrong — this may be the best stretch of basketball Nader has ever played.

Against West Virginia, Nader dropped 23 points. Against TCU the game before, he had 24. Before that, at Baylor, he had 26.

“He’s playing pheonomal right now,” Morris said. “He’s making shots at a high clip. He’s making it tough for defenders to contain him.”

While Nader said he can’t take all of the credit for his recent surge, he also said it doesn’t feel that new to him.

“It’s really got a lot to do with coach Prohm and my teammates,” Nader said. “They’ve got me playing with a lot of confidence right now. It’s been working.

“I feel like I’ve always been capable, it’s just now starting to show.”

4. Confidence still sky high

While the Cyclones have lost five of the last eight games, they aren’t letting it get them down.

Even though they’ve lost games recently, Nader doesn’t think their confidence as a team has faltered.

“I don’t think [our confidence has] been any different,” Nader said. “I think we’re all pretty confident in our abilities, individually, and as a team. I don’t think that’s the issue. When you lose a couple of games, everything gets magnified. When you win, all those things get covered up.”

With two home games left before the Cyclones head to Lawrence, Kan., to take on the Jayhawks in the season finale, Morris knows how important it can be to pick up two wins heading into the final game.

Iowa State has been down lately, but now is as good as ever to make a change. 

“I just feel like [we’ve] been through so much off-the-court stuff this season,” Morris said. “Now we’re bringing it all together, and it’s been nothing but positive. So I feel like we’re going to get a break soon. We want to play our best basketball in the tournament. So hopefully we can do that and have something to remember about this season.”