The Iowa State Cyclones come to Manhattan on Saturday to cap off the regular season. Both the Wildcats and the Cyclones are at the bottom of the conference standings with a combined seven wins against Big 12 opponents.
The Wildcats have the last spot with a 2-15 record in conference play. Iowa State sits in ninth place, three games ahead with a 5-12 record against conference opponents.
K-State has been playing average at home, as they hold an 8-7 record at Bramlage Coliseum. For the Cyclones, playing on the road has been a major struggle. They have not had any success and have lost all 10 of their road games.
Both teams are coming off a loss. Iowa State lost to the West Virginia Mountaineers on Tuesday, 77-71, in Ames. K-State is coming off a loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 69-63.
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First Meeting
This will be the second meeting between the Wildcats and the Cyclones. The first was Feb. 8. where the Cyclones won, 73-63. It was the end of a four-game losing streak for Iowa State.
The game went like others have gone for K-State this season. The Wildcats were down 21-2 until redshirt junior guard Cartier Diarra got the team their first goal with a three-pointer twelve minutes before halftime.
The Wildcats came back and got as close as 52-48 with about seven minutes remaining in the game, but the Cyclones went on to win 73-63.
Upcoming Game
K-State will be looking for revenge in this game. As they showed in the first meeting, they can compete and have the ability to beat the Cyclones.
The Wildcats have avoided a season sweep against only two teams: West Virginia and Oklahoma. A victory will make it three teams with Iowa State.
K-State
For K-State, this game will be about pride. The Wildcats will be the last seed in the Big 12 tournament. Unless they win the Big 12 tournament, which is unlikely at this point, their season will come to an end.
It will be about sending senior forwards Xavier Sneed and Makol Mawien out with a win in their final game at Bramlage Coliseum. Sneed, who was on the verge of declaring to enter the NBA Draft in the offseason, came back to be a senior leader and to be a memorable player in K-State’s men’s basketball program. Mawien has had a good career at K-State. He struggled with the senior pressure earlier in the season, but he has worked hard to do what he can to help the Wildcats.
The Wildcats will need to shoot the ball well and they will need to defend Iowa State well at the three-point range to win this game.
Iowa State
As Iowa State sits at 5-12 in Big 12 play, they are one game behind the Oklahoma State Cowboys in ninth place. With a win for the Cyclones and a loss for the Cowboys on Saturday, they could swap seedings for the Big 12 tournament.
Game Time
This game will tip-off at 3 p.m. and will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. It can also be heard on the K-State Radio Sports Network.
