No. 3 Iowa State vs. Utah Primer

Who: No. 3 Iowa State (12-1, 2-0 Big 12) vs. Utah (8-5, 0-2 Big 12)

Where: Hilton Coliseum (14,267) – Ames, Iowa

When: Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT

Watch/Listen: ESPN+ / Cyclone Radio Network

Tipping Off: Riding the nation's third-longest winning streak, Iowa State will welcome Utah to Hilton Coliseum for the first time as conference rivals on Tuesday evening. The Cyclones will look to extend the program's second-longest home-winning streak against the Utes – a program who holds a 2-1 series advantage over ISU.

Iowa State opened up 2025 in emphatic fashion on Saturday, dismantling No. 25 Baylor and earning a 19-point victory. The 19-point victory was the second-largest home margin of victory over a top 25 opponent in program history and ISU has now won 10 straight home contests against top 25 opponents.

The Utes got a rude welcome to the Big 12 this past week, dropping contests to both Baylor and Texas Tech by an average of 26.5 points. Utah will face its second ranked team of the season in the Cyclones, having opened conference play on the road at No. 25 Baylor last week.

Storylines:

Keshon Gilbert has been ISU's MVP so far, leading the team in minutes, points and assists. He has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice this season.
Iowa State's "sixth starter," Curtis Jones, has been elite coming off the bench for Iowa State. He leads the team in field goals and 3-pointers made.
A Preseason All-Big 12 First Team selection, Tamin Lipsey has been the glue of Iowa State's team. A known defensive menace, Lipsey leads the team in steals and is second on the team in assists.
Saint Mary's transfer Joshua Jefferson has been a key, versatile player this season. Jefferson leads the team in rebounding and has earned three Big 12 Newcomer of the Week awards.
Sophomore wing Milan Momcilovic averages just above 11 points per game and shoots the 3-ball at the highest clip on the team at 46 percent.
A transfer from Charlotte, big man Dishon Jackson has been a force in the paint. He leads the team in blocks and averages 10.3 points with 5.6 rebounds.
A Swiss army knife off the bench, Nate Heise has really come into his own. His defensive ability to lock opposing players down and ability to cut to space has been huge.
Seattle transfer Brandton Chatfield has been a glass-eater off the bench. The senior leads the team in offensive rebounds and constantly earns ISU more possessions.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 181-99 overall and has led the Cyclones to an 82-36 record over the last four years.
- ISU is 53-8 in games at Hilton Coliseum under Otzelberger.
Iowa State has won 26-straight home games at Hilton Coliseum which is tied for the third-longest active home winning streak in the country and the second-longest in school history.
Coach Otzelberger is the only Iowa State men's basketball coach to take multiple teams to the Sweet 16.
- He was the 51st coach in NCAA Division I history to take a team to the Sweet 16 twice in his first three years on the job.
- Otz will attempt to become the first coach in program history to take a team to the NCAA Tournament in his first four years as coach.
Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 10 for 17-straight weeks, the longest streak in the country.
Iowa State currently boasts the top scoring offense in the Big 12, averaging 86.6 points per contest. The Cyclones also boast the fifth-best defense in the league, holding opponents to an average of 65 points.
The Cyclones are ranked No. 5 in the NET. Iowa State slots in at No. 5 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 5 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

This will be the fourth all-time meeting between Iowa State and Utah and the first since 1996.
- The two previous meetings came as part of the NCAA Tournament. ISU fell to the Utes in the second round in 1996 and previously in 1944 in the team's lone Final Four appearance.
The Utes were picked to finish last in the Big 12 Preseason Poll in their first season as a member of the league.
Utah is 70-164 (.299) all-time against AP ranked opponents and is just 11-66 (.143) all-time against AP ranked opponents on the road.
The Utes have logged two games with 19 3-pointers this season - the most in a single game in program history. Prior to this year, the school's best was 17.
Utah boasts some familiar faces on the bench, as both Miro Little and Caleb Lohner (Baylor transfers) and Josh Eilert (former WVU interim head coach) have played or coached in Hilton Coliseum before.
Utah Head Coach Craig Smith is in his fourth year at the helm of the Ute program.
- Smith is 58-55 with Utah and is 283-163 overall in his 14-year head coaching career which began at Mayville State in 2004.
- He has also had stops at South Dakota (2014-18) and Utah State (2018-21).
- Smith will be coaching against ISU's T.J. Otzelberger in a third conference, after facing him both in the Mountain West and the Summit League.
Utah is ranked No. 89 in the NET. The Utes are No. 90 in KenPom and No. 50 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

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Players Mentioned

Brandton Chatfield

Keshon Gilbert

Nate Heise

Dishon Jackson

Joshua Jefferson

Curtis Jones

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics