The Iowa State Cyclones are brewing one thing particular on the proper time.
On Saturday, Related Press. No. 5 Iowa State (22-3, 9-3 in Huge 12) notched arguably its largest assertion win of the season, defeating the No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks, 74-56. The end result confirmed why the Cyclones might go on a deep March Insanity run.
No. 5 Iowa State proves its a nationwide title contender with blowout win over No. 9 Kansas
Iowa State held Kansas (19-6, 9-3 in Huge 12) to a tie in its season-low in factors. The Jayhawks beforehand have been held to 56 factors in a five-point loss to the No. 6 Connecticut Huskies (23-2, 13-1 Huge East) in early December.
The Cyclones, No. 5 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency, did a wonderful job of containing star Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, who completed with 10 factors on 3-of-10 capturing. Total, Iowa State had six steals and three blocks as its defensive exercise grew to become an excessive amount of for Kansas to beat.
Coupled with well timed three-point capturing, the Cyclones have a recipe that can make them robust to topple throughout the NCAA Event.
Junior ahead Milan Momcilovic led Iowa State with 18 factors on Saturday, capturing 7-of-13, together with 4-of-9 from past the arc. This season, he is capturing a exceptional 51.6 % from past the arc, which leads Division I. Momcilovic has made no less than two threes in all however two video games, that are additionally the one two he is made lower than 30 % of his long-range makes an attempt.
Jamarion Batemon (39.8 %) and Joshua Jefferson (39.4 %) give the Cyclones further safety on the perimeter, whereas Tamin Lipsey is a defensive lynchpin, main the Huge 12 in steals (2.3 per sport).
Iowa State is battle-tested as properly, already securing non-conference wins over No. 17 St. John’s (NY) Red Storm (20-5, 13-1 in Huge East), No. 13 Purdue Boilermakers (20-4, 10-3 in Huge Ten) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (18-6, 8-5 in Huge Ten). With remaining convention video games towards the No. 3 Houston Cougars (22-2, 10-1 in Huge 12), No. 22 BYU Cougars (18-6, 6-5 in Huge 12), No. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders (18-6, 8-3 in Huge 12) and No. 1 Arizona Wildcats (23-1, 10-1 in Huge 12), the Cyclones, currently a No. 2 seed in ESPN males’s school basketball bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s projected 68-team subject, has alternatives to climb to the 1-line.
Primarily based on how properly Iowa State performed towards Kansas, it is going to be robust to beat the remainder of the best way. In that regard, Saturday ought to function a warning to the remainder of school basketball. A storm is coming.
