K-State Wildcats vs. Iowa State Cyclones: Basketball game time, TV, odds and pick

The Kansas State men’s basketball team will try to build off its recent wins over West Virginia and Oklahoma State when it hits the road to play the Iowa State Cyclones at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum.

Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, including a score prediction:

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa

TV: ESPN2

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Betting line: Iowa State by 16.5

Over/under: 145.5.

STARTING LINEUPS

About Iowa State (17-3, 7-2 Big 12)

The Cyclones are coming off a heartbreaking loss against Arizona in which Caleb Love forced overtime by draining a shot from well beyond the halfcourt line. But they have been on a roll this season otherwise. Iowa State has only lost three games and it remains in the hunt for a Big 12 championship along with Arizona and Houston. The Cyclones are a balanced team that plays well on both ends of the court. Its offense is lethal around the basket, as Iowa State is making 56.8% of its shots from within the arc. On defense, KSU forces turnovers and makes it hard for opponents to score in the paint. Curtis Jones leads the team at 18.1 points per game, but Tamin Lipsey is arguably the best player on the roster.

About Kansas State (9-11, 3-6 Big 12)

The Wildcats have won back-to-back games for the first time since early December. Their recent wins over West Virginia and Oklahoma State have given fans hope that K-State is heading in the right direction. Jerome Tang’s team has seen a rise in scoring over the past few weeks, and it is playing better defense, too. Dug McDaniel is beginning to find his groove as a point guard and Coleman Hawkins has flirted with a triple-double on more than one occassion. The Wildcats have a losing record, but they are also playing their best basketball of the season.

K-State game prediction

The Wildcats have covered the spread in five straight games and they are currently riding high after pulling off a pair of outright wins against Big 12 competition.

K-State is playing its best basketball of the season right now.

But that might not mean much on Saturday when it takes on No. 3 Iowa State inside Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones are one of the best teams in the entire country, and they have turned their home court into a torture chamber for visiting teams this season.

Check out the scores from their Big 12 home games:

• Iowa State 74, Baylor 55
• Iowa State 82, Utah 59
• Iowa State 74, Kansas 57
• Iowa State 108, UCF 83

The Cyclones won those games by an average of 21 points. There is a reason why they haven’t lost at home since 2023.

This is a huge step up in class for K-State.

With that in mind, it’s hard to see the Wildcats ending their 15-game road losing streak this weekend. Even without Milan Momcilovic in the lineup, the Cyclones are simply too much for K-State to handle.

Can the Wildcats cover the 16.5-point spread? Maybe. They only lost by 10 at Kansas and by eight at Baylor. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if they play hard and keep this game competitive.

But I think the Cyclones pull away and win big in the second half. They are coming off a frustrating loss and there is bad blood in this rivalry after the spy accusations from last year’s game in Ames. They would love to win by a large margin.

Iowa State 85, K-State 65

Last game prediction: K-State 74, Oklahoma State 63

Actual score: K-State 85, Oklahoma State 57

Season record: 14-6

Season record ATS: 9-11

Season record O/U: 9-11.

This story was originally published February 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

Kellis Robinett

The Wichita Eagle

Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.