One thing is clear through the first five conference games of Iowa State’s season: ISU basketball isn’t for the faint of heart.

In the team’s last six games dating back to the final non-conference meeting with South Carolina, the Cyclones’ games have been decided by an average of 3.3 points. It’s what ISU coach Fred Hoiberg has said multiple times early this conference season — the team needs to take it one game at a time in perhaps the toughest conference from top to bottom in the nation.

The Cyclones (14-3, 4-1 Big 12) have handled it well, landing themselves at the top of the conference with a road game against Big 12 bottom-dweller Texas Tech (10-9, 0-6 Big 12) next on the slate. The opportunity for a breakaway win is as close as it’s been in 2015.

“We all want to get away from playing those nail-baiters,” said sophomore guard Monté Morris. “You’ve got Hoiberg coming into the locker room [after games], his back drenched in sweat.”

Hilton Coliseum isn’t known for its heat waves, so its safe to say Hoiberg, and his dress shirts, are ready for a break. But the struggling Texas Tech team hasn’t always been such an easy game for the Cyclones, and coaches and players haven’t forgotten.

Last season, the Red Raiders erased a 15-point halftime deficit in less than eight minutes to challenge the then-undefeated Cyclones on the road. At Hilton, they actually clawed back from a double-digit deficit to lead the Cyclones with about three minutes to play before Iowa State was able to pull away for a six-point win.

With multiple double-digit leads this year that ended in single-digit wins, Hoiberg knows the team will have to play some of its best basketball if they wish to come out with a convincing win on the road.

“That’s that killer mentality — once you get a team down you have to step on them and we have yet to do that this year,” Hoiberg said. “You have to get off to a great start. We know how hard [Tubby Smith-coached] teams play.”

The clearest advantage the Cyclones have is pace, as the team plays some of the fastest basketball in the nation. Kansas State coach Bruce Weber and Kansas coach Bill Self were complimentary of Iowa State’s No. 1 transition offense among major conference schools.

Texas Tech does not play as fast, nor can they score quite like the Cyclones. The Red Raiders are ranked 210th in possessions per game, according to teamrankings.com and the team’s offensive efficiency ranks 285th according to kenpom.com.

With the defensive play elevated from past seasons with the help of rim protector Jameel McKay, the Cyclones likely won’t have trouble keeping the Red Raiders off the scoreboard, but after some slow starts on the road and the potential for a letdown game, the team isn’t letting anything past them.

“They’re struggling to score the ball right now but they really do get out and pressure in the passing lanes, so they’re really getting a lot of points off turnovers,” said junior Georges Niang. “It’s going to be a pretty tough environment but I think coach will have a good preparation for them.”

Maybe more than anything, Hoiberg hopes his team can take their first double-digit conference win for the sake of his dress shirts.

“We’ve been scaring him a little bit so we’ll try to go out here [Jan. 24] and keep it calm,” Morris said. “[We’ll] see if he isn’t sweating after the game.”