No. 8 Iowa State vs. Colorado Primer

Who: No. 8 Iowa State (20-5, 10-4 Big 12) vs. Colorado (10-15, 1-13 Big 12)

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

When: Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 – 7 p.m. CT

Watch: ESPN+ // Shawn Kenney (PxP) & Jess Settles (Analyst)

Listen: Cyclone Radio Network // John Walters (PxP) & Eric Heft (Analyst)

Tipping Off: No. 8 Iowa State concludes its first two-game homestand since the first week of January Tuesday night, as the Cyclones host Colorado. It will be the third meeting of the season against the Buffaloes, as the two teams squared off in the Maui Invitational Fifth Place Game and in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Dec. 30.

The Cyclones enter Tuesday night's matchup riding a three-game winning streak, the team's longest since early January. In its previous outing, Iowa State handled a scrappy Cincinnati squad in Hilton. Curtis Jones did Curtis Jones things, coming off the bench to score 22 points. He's now scored in double figures off the bench in 20-straight Big 12 games.

Last time Colorado took the floor, the team snapped a 13-game losing streak as it disposed of UCF, winning by 13. The Buffs were previously without a win in conference play and hadn't won since December. CU will look to put together its first win streak since late December and knock off its second ranked team of the season.

Storylines:

Iowa State's "sixth starter," Curtis Jones, became an actual starter for seven games but has returned to the bench with the return of Milan Momcilovic. Jones has earned a Big 12 Player of the Week award, was named to the Jerry West Award Top 10 List and was named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List along with teammate Keshon Gilbert.
Speaking of Gilbert, he has been the team's "engine," has taken a leap in his second season as a Cyclone, leading the team in minutes and assists. He has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice this season, was named to the Bob Cousy Award Top 10 and was named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List with teammate Curtis Jones.
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 close to becoming the school's all-time steals leader.
Saint Mary's transfer Joshua Jefferson has been a revelation for the Cyclones this season. Jefferson leads the team in rebounding, has nine double-doubles and has earned five Big 12 Newcomer of the Week awards.
Sophomore wing Milan Momcilovic averages just over 10 points per game and shoots the 3-ball at the highest clip on the team at 43.9 percent. After missing just about a month of game action due to injury, he returned to the starting lineup on Feb. 8 against TCU.

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 189-103 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 90-40 record over the last four years.
- ISU is 58-9 in games at Hilton Coliseum under Otz. His 58 home wins during that time are tied for the sixth-most nationally.
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 23 straight weeks, the longest streak in the country.
The Cyclones are ranked No. 8 in the NET. Iowa State slots in at No. 8 in the KenPom rankings and is No. 6 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Switching Sides:

This will be the 151st all-time meeting between Iowa State and Colorado. In two previous meetings this year, Iowa State won both games by an average of 19 points.
- ISU leads the all-time series, 80-70.
- ISU hasn't lost to Colorado in Ames since 2005.
The Buffaloes were picked to finish 15th out of 16 in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, voted on by the league's 16 head coaches in its first year back in the league.
Speaking of being back in the league, CU returned to the Big 12 where it had been a charter member for the 1995-96 season after the Big Eight Conference and four teams from the Southwest Conference merged to form the Big 12.
The Buffs enter Ames coming off their first conference win of the season on Saturday in a home game where they celebrated NBA champion and CU alum Derrick White.
- The win over UCF snapped the second-longest losing streak in school history and longest since 2008-09.
Colorado coach Tad Boyle is in his 15th year at the helm of the Buffalo program, where he is 308-198.
- Overall, Boyle is 364-264 in his 19-year head coaching career, which began at Northern Colorado before moving to Boulder.
- Boyle picked up his 300th win at Colorado earlier this season as he is the program's all-time winningest coach.
Colorado is ranked No. 104 in the NET. The Buffs are No. 97 in KenPom and No. 96 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Keshon Gilbert

Joshua Jefferson

Curtis Jones

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics