AMES – Iowa State puts its 25-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents on the line Thursday, as the Cyclones take on the Eastern Illinois Panthers. It will be the final game for both teams before a break for the Holidays.
ON THIS DATE
– Iowa State is 21-10 all-time on Dec. 21.
– The Cyclones last played in 2021 on Dec.21, beating Chicago State 79-48.
– Iowa State has won seven-straight games on Dec. 21 going back to 1997.
– The Cyclones are 11-2 all-time at Hilton Coliseum on Dec. 21.
– Oddly enough, three of the four meetings with Eastern Illinois have been on Dec. 21.
This is the second school from the Ohio Valley Conference the Cyclones have faced this season. The Cyclones are 21-0 all-time against schools from the OVC, including a 3-0 record against Eastern Illinois. Seven of the 21 victories have come against Western Illinois, who just joined the league this past summer.
T.J. Otzelberger is 7-2 all-time against the OVC. Otzelberger is 1-0 against Lindenwood and 6-2 against Western Illinois.
Eastern Illinois Assistant Coach Marlon London will be making his third trip to Hilton Coliseum, but first as a coach. London played two years at Kansas, where he earned All-Big 12 Freshman honors in 1998-99. London went 1-3 against the Cyclones while at Kansas, including an 0-2 record at Hilton Coliseum.
This is the ninth-straight year Eastern Illinois has had a game scheduled on Dec. 21. Last year, the Panthers knocked off Iowa 92-83 in Iowa City. EIU’s 2018 game at Iowa State was also on Dec. 21, a 101-53 Cyclone victory.
IOWA STATE QUICK FACTS
– Iowa State is playing its 117th season of men’s basketball and the third under head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
– Iowa State’s 2023-24 roster includes 15 players from seven different states and Barbados.
– The Cyclones have a pair of players from Wisconsin in Milan Momcilovic
and Jackson Paveletzke. With 22 former Cyclones from Wisconsin, it is the fourth- most populated state in ISU history behind Iowa (183), Illinois (72) and Michigan (25).
– Hason Ward is the first from Barbados and the 17th international player in school history.
– The Cyclone roster has a pair of walk- ons: Conrad Hawley and Cade Kelderman.
