Two highly ranked teams are desperate after a victory to break out of the latest slides.
Only one of these teams will get its wish when No. 8 Iowa State tips against No. 16 Kansas in a BIG 12 conference battle Monday evening in Lawrence, can.
Iowa State (17-4, 7-3 Big 12) is anxious to bounce back from two losses in a row against Arizona on the road and Kansas State at home. Cyclones have dropped three of its last five games after winning 15 of their first 16.
At the same time, Kansas (15-6, 6-4) comes from a demoralizing loss against Baylor where it made history for all the wrong reasons. The Jayhawks blew the biggest lead in a loss in program history when they knocked out a 21-point advantage and fell 81-70 to Baylor and dropped to 1-2 in the last three.
Kansas coach Bill Self did not rip into his team after the blown lead. He stopped most quietly and knew that Monday’s game against Iowa State gives an opportunity for his players to show that their last performance was a deviation.
“I really didn’t say much,” Self said. “I don’t think in such situations that there really is much to say. All kinds of pick-‘-em-up calls will not be heard. And there is no reason to come up with anyone (with intense criticism).”
Iowa State Coach Tj Otzelberger is also keen to see a better show from his team. The cyclones come from a loss of 80-61 on their home ground, which marked their first defeat at home for almost two calendar years.
“It was really not an effort that we are proud of at all,” Otzelberger said about having fallen to Kansas State. “Definitely different from our standard (in terms of) what we expect and what we have shown through the first 20 games. …
“I think it starts with self -responsibility. You have to look yourself in the mirror and say: ‘How did I help the glass? How did I help people to miss? How did I help to protect the ball?” And if you first start with it and you do a good job with it yourself, it puts you in a position where you can challenge your teammates and others to do the same. “
Kansas is led by Hunter Dickinson, who is on average 16.4 points and 9.7 returns. Dickinson shoots 52.6 percent from the field.
Zeke Mayo is ranked second at Jayhawks with 15.0 points per match. Dajuan Harris Jr. (9.8 points per match) and KJ Adams Jr. (8.3) rounds off the four best scores.
Iowa State’s leading goal scores is Curtis Jones, which is an average of 17.9 points and shoots 37.8 percent from the 3-point line. Keshon Gilbert is the next with 15.2 points to go with a team high 4.5 assists per match.
Joshua Jefferson adds 12.9 points per match to go with a team high 8.0 returns per competition. Tamin Lipsey points 10.8 points per match.
This will be the 260th meeting in the stored rivalry between the programs. Kansas is constantly leading the series 190-69, but Iowa State has won the last two competitions.
-Field level media
