No. 19 Iowa State upset No. 1 Oklahoma at Hilton Coliseum on Monday night. It was just 16 days after Oklahoma took care of Iowa State down in Norman, Okla.

The two teams split the regular season matchups against each other, but with both teams being contenders in the Big 12, it is not unlikely that the two might meet up for a third time, either in the Big 12 or NCAA tournaments.

Basketball fans might anticipate a third meeting between the two teams, which appear to be so evenly matched and have provided high-quality, entertaining games in the first two rounds. But would ISU players welcome a third matchup with such a strong team?

“They’re a pretty good team,” said forward Jameel McKay. “It’s fun games. I wouldn’t say we want to play them again, but we’re not scared of them, that’s for sure.”

Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma all came into this season as Big 12 title contenders, but West Virginia has made a strong case early on and Baylor has shown flashes of contender potential.

The Big 12 tournament may be a bloodbath with so many quality teams, but Iowa State knows going through Oklahoma is a distinct possibility.

“It’s fun basketball,” said guard Monté Morris. “That’s why we lace up. You don’t want no cakewalk. If we got to go through Oklahoma to win a third straight Big 12 championship then so be it.”

Both teams have spent time in the top-five of the AP polls, and both have stacked rosters and quality positional matchups.

Oklahoma has a formidable back court for Morris to contend with, and Ryan Spangler provides problems for Jameel McKay and the rest of Iowa State’s front court. 

Georges Niang and Buddy Hield are the marquee names, with both being All-American hopefuls and National Player of the Year candidates. 

“Buddy Hield is – in my mind – a first-team All-American for sure,” Niang said.

So many intriguing matchups, combined with two high-ranking teams contending for Big 12 titles equals something that resembles a knock-down, drag-out battle. 

“It’s like a heavyweight fight,” McKay said. “You’re going to take blows and you got to be able to throw blows and still stay standing.”