No. 12 Iowa State Seeks Revenge After 2OT Defeat to No. 17 BYU

BYU is currently one of the hottest teams in the Big 12, riding an eight-game winning streak, which has significantly boosted their confidence.

However, the No. 17 Cougars face a tough challenge in their first game at the Big 12 tournament, where they will meet No. 12 Iowa State in a Thursday afternoon quarterfinal matchup in Kansas City, Missouri.

The fifth-seeded Cyclones (24-8) are eager to redeem themselves after suffering an 88-85 double-overtime loss to the fourth-seeded BYU (23-8) in their recent meeting.

“BYU is a solid program,” said Iowa State star Joshua Jefferson after his team’s 76-56 win over No. 13 seed Cincinnati on Wednesday. “They came out strong and hit us hard early, so we need to come out with urgency (Thursday) to get the win.”

In the March 4th game, BYU led by 21 points with 13 minutes remaining in regulation before Iowa State mounted a comeback. BYU ultimately triumphed with 23 points from Richie Saunders.

BYU’s first-year coach Kevin Young doesn’t believe the quick turnaround for the Cyclones will play a role in the rematch.

“It’s tough to prepare for us,” said Young. “You can’t guard everything, you can’t scout everything.”

Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger insists there is no extra motivation for the upcoming game.

“We respect their program,” Otzelberger said of BYU. “They’re playing at a high level. They came into our place and earned the win. We’ll prepare for every game the same way, focusing on what we can control, and we’ll be ready to give our best (Thursday).”

In their second-round win over Cincinnati, Iowa State never trailed.

Jefferson contributed 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Tamin Lipsey scored 16 points. Milan Momcilovic added 13 points, and Dishon Jackson recorded 10 points with a career-high 15 rebounds for the Cyclones.

Iowa State dominated the boards with a 41-23 rebounding advantage and shot 53.7% from the field, holding the Bearcats to just 32.8% shooting.

The Cyclones’ biggest concerns may be the health of Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert due to groin injuries. Lipsey was injured in the final minutes of the game after being fouled during a layup attempt, while Gilbert sat out the second half after making just his third appearance in the past six games.

“It’s frustrating,” Gilbert said after playing 11 minutes in the first half. “It’s a day-by-day situation.”

Otzelberger believes Lipsey will be available for Thursday’s game but isn’t as certain about Gilbert’s status.

“Keshon didn’t play in the second half because he couldn’t push off or explode properly,” Otzelberger explained. “We’ll do everything we can to get him ready if he’s able to play (Thursday).”

Meanwhile, BYU hasn’t played since their 85-74 home victory over Utah on Saturday, where Dawson Baker contributed 15 points off the bench as one of five players in double figures.

Saunders leads BYU with an average of 16.0 points per game, but the team has nine players averaging 6.0 points or more, showcasing their depth.

Young sees this as an advantage, as different players frequently step up to provide crucial support.

“I know it’s not easy for everyone,” Young said. “Every guy on our team could deserve more minutes, but this depth has become a strength for us.”

“Hopefully, it will stand out even more in the conference tournament. Keeping fresh legs on the court has been a key for us.”