West Virginia will begin Big 12 Conference play in Ames, Iowa, as the calendar turns to 2026. It will be the first of many tough tests for the Mountaineers in a loaded Big 12 Conference. After beginning the season ranked as 16th in the AP Poll, the undefeated Cyclones are now up to No. 3 in the poll. Let’s take a look at what makes the Cyclones such a difficult test for WVU.
How They Got Here
A flawless 13-0 start for the Cyclones has led to their national ranking. They have picked up notable wins over Mississippi State, St. John’s, Creighton, Syracuse, and Iowa.
In their lone true road game of the season thus far, the Cyclones visited the then-No. 1 team in the nation, the Purdue Boilermakers, on December 6th. Milan Momcilovic and Iowa State put a second-half beatdown on Purdue en route to a shocking 81-58 win after holding just a 4-point lead at halftime. While it was an off-shooting night for the Boilermakers, the Cyclones deserve a ton of credit for the defensive performance they put forth in the match-up, holding the now 12-1 Boilermakers well below their season average of 86.2 points per game. This dominant win stands above the rest on an impressive Iowa State resume.
Numbers to Know
27.5
Iowa State’s +27.5 point differential leads the Big 12 Conference. They are averaging over 90 points per game and only allowing 62.8 points per game.
41
Through the first 13 games of the season they Cyclones have been red-hot from beyond the arc. Iowa State ranks first in the Big 12 and fourth in the nation in three-point percentage, shooting 41% on the season.
10.2
Iowa State’s 10.2 steals per game lead the Big 12. Defensive stalwart Tamin Lipsey, who has averaged over two steals per game in each of his first three seasons at Iowa State, is currently averaging 2.6 steals as a senior.
Players to Know
Not only does Tamin Lipsey bring a lot to the table defensively, but he’s one of the best point guards in the nation. He is averaging an impressive six assists while averaging shy of one turnover per game. He’s averaging a career-best 14.2 points per game.
6-foot-9 senior Joshua Jefferson is averaging a team-leading 18.1 points and 7.1 rebounds to go along with five assists per game. Jefferson has eclipsed the 20-point mark 5 times this season and has also recorded five double-doubles.
The 6-foot-8 Milan Momcilovic has elevated his game during his junior season, averaging 17.9 points per game. The Cyclones’ red-hot shooting as a team is due in large part to Momcilovic’s absolutely sensational numbers from beyond the arc. The sharpshooter is making 53.8% of his three-point shots on 7.2 attempts per game.
Game Outlook for the Mountaineers
Undoubtedly, West Virginia has their work cut out for it in a tall task in their first true road game of the season at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames.
The Mountaineers have yet to play against a ranked opponent, but have not fared well against power conference opponents so far this season. Among the things that will be required of WVU as they head into conference play with the hope of winning some games are the need for the offense not rely on Honor Huff so heavily and for the second-half defense to improve.
West Virginia will visit Iowa State on January 2nd at 9 PM EST, and the game will be televised on ESPN2.