No. 3 Iowa State visits Hawkeyes

By DANA BECKER

dbecker@messengernews.net

IOWA CITY — The third-ranked Iowa State men make their first official road trip of the season on Thursday when they take on in-state rival Iowa.

Tip in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series basketball game is set for 6:30 p.m. The contest will air live on FS1.

Following a win over then-No. 5 Marquette last week, the Cyclones (7-1) climbed to their highest ranking since the 1956-57 season. Iowa State also was one of three teams to receive first-place votes this week, along with No. 1 Tennessee and second-ranked Auburn — the only team to defeat the Cyclones.

“There have been so many great games (in this rivalry),” ISU head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Ones with energy, emotion and passion at an extremely high level. I feel like our guys understand the magnitute of the game and the importance of it.

“I think our players are aware of the opponent, the importance and the magnitude, and the level of focus we have. You have to blend all those together.”

Keshon Gilbert leads a high-scoring Cyclone attack, averaging 17 points per game. As a team, Iowa State is putting up almost 88 per game while allowing just 65 a night.

Iowa (7-2) nearly rallied late in Big Ten Conference contest at Michigan over the weekend, 85-83, snapping a two-game win streak for the Hawkeyes. The only other loss for Iowa came to Utah State, 77-69.

Owen Freeman leads the Hawks, averaging almost 17 points per game on 64 percent shooting from the field.

Iowa has owned the series inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, winning four straight with an average margin of victory of almost 19 points. That includes a 75-56 victory in 2022 and a 28-point win in 2020.