AMES – In Iowa State’s first top-10 showdown since 2014, No. 8 Iowa State hosts No. 1 Baylor at Hilton Coliseum on New Year’s Day.
The Matchup: No. 8 Iowa State (12-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 1 Baylor (12-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Where: Ames, Iowa – Hilton Coliseum (14,267)
When: Saturday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. (CST)
Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Varsity Radio App
Talent: John Walters (PxP), Eric Heft (Analyst)
TV: ESPNU
Talent: Chuckie Kempf (PxP), Fran Fraschilla (Analyst)
Webcast: WatchESPN
Live Stats: Cyclonestats.com
Tickets: Saturday’s game is sold out! Tickets are still available for the remaining home games. Click here to purchase.
KEY STORYLINES
– T.J. Otzelberger is off to the best start of any first-year head coach in school history at 12-0 … his 12-0 start is the second-best in Big 12 history among first-year coaches.
– As of Tuesday, Iowa State and Baylor are two of five undefeated teams remaining in the nation … the Cyclones already have 10 more wins than they did last season.
– The Cyclones are No. 8 in the AP Top 25, which is higher than they were picked in the Big 12 preseason poll (unanimous 10th).
– This is just the fourth matchup of teams 12-0 or better in the last 40 years in college basketball … ISU is playing a top-10 matchup for the first time since defeating No. 7 Baylor, 87-72, as a No. 9 team on Jan. 7, 2014.
– The Cyclones are 12-0 for just the second time in school history (2013-14) and this is just the third 12-game winning streak the program has ever had.
– ISU has one of the nation’s top defenses, allowing just 56.1 points per game and holding opponents to 36.9 percent shooting from the field and 24.2 percent behind the arc … its last seven opponents have all scored 64 points or less, with eight of 12 opponents at that mark … no opponent has shot better than 44 percent this season.
– The Cyclones have already snapped losing streaks of 18-straight games overall, eight home games, 25 games against power conference opponents, 28 games away from Hilton Coliseum, 25 games in true road contests and 19 games to nationally ranked opponents.
– Izaiah Brockington was named Co-Big 12 Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week after posting a 20 point-13 rebound double-double against Chicago State … Brockington was 8-for-8 at the line.
LAST TIME OUT
– Iowa State took care of Chicago State (79-48) in its final non-conference test ahead of Big 12 play … the Cyclones held the Cougars to 27.8 percent shooting and just 2-for-20 behind the arc … Brockington (20 points-13 rebounds) and Tristan Enaruna (19 points-10 rebounds) posted double-doubles for the Cyclones, the first teammates to do so Cam Lard and Nick Weiler-Babb did it against Kansas in 2017-18 … Brockington was a career-best 8-for-8 at the line … Caleb Grill came off the bench to make 3-of-6 three-pointers and score 11 points, while Gabe Kalscheur had a career-high eight assists.
ISU VERSUS BAYLOR
– The Cyclones and Bears are meeting for the 43rd time with Baylor holding a 22-20 edge in the all-time series … the Bears have won four straight in the series … since 2015, nine of the 15 games have been decided by single digits.
– Iowa State owns a 14-5 edge in games played at Hilton Coliseum.
– The Cyclones played the national champions tough in both contests last season, leading at the midway point in the second half of both games.
– T.J. Otzelberger has never faced Baylor as a head coach.
– ISU is 391-609 against teams currently in the Big 12 Conference.
– Gabe Kalscheur and Baylor’s Kendall Brown played for the same AAU program, Howard Pulley, though they never played together … it is the same program that produced former Cyclones Royce White and Jake Sullivan.
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