Bold Predictions for Iowa State Cyclones Trip To Face BYU Cougars in Big 12 Clash

The Iowa State Cyclones are in the midst of a brutal stretch of their schedule, facing off against three ranked teams in a row.

So far, so good with the Cyclones picking up victories over the Kansas Jayhawks and Houston Cougars. But those two contests were at the friendly confines of Hilton Coliseum. The third and final test will be on the road.

Iowa State is heading to Provo, Utah, to face the BYU Cougars. Ranked No. 22 in the country, they will present some challenges to T.J. Otzelberger’s squad. Can the Cyclones overcome them?

Here are some bold predictions for when they tip off on Feb. 21 at 9:30 pm CT/10:30 pm ET.

Joshua Jefferson Gets Offense On Track

Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson driving against Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson — Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) drives with the ball as Kansas Jayhawks guard Kohl Rosario (7) defends during the second half in the Big-12 conference basketball showdown on Feb. 14, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Award midseason watchlists continue to have Joshua Jefferson listed, and rightfully so. Most recently, he was named to the National Player of the Year Late-Season Team. However, he has not been playing up to his standards recently on the offensive end.

Jefferson has shot 40% or worse in three consecutive games. Overall, he has shot 36.4% from the field. Dragging down that number is struggles from 3-point range, where he has made two of his last 10 attempts.

He has done other things well, handing out 18 assists, but against BYU, Iowa State will receive a vintage scoring performance from their star. BYU is allowing opponents to shoot 52.9% on 2-pointers in conference play.

With only two players in their rotation listed at 6-foot-10 or taller, Jefferson should find plenty of matchups to take advantage of.

High Scoring Affair

Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders driving against Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson — Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) drives to the basket around Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (2) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Cougars play at an incredibly fast pace. Their average possession length of 16.1 seconds is the shortest in the Big 12. They are looking to get down the court and get a shot up quickly.

The Cyclones play at a much slower rate and will look to control tempo. Being on the road will make that more challenging, and it would not be a surprise to see them get caught up in a track meet at points in the game.

Iowa State has players who can thrive in an up-tempo game. It will lead to a very high-scoring game, with both teams scoring at least 75 points in the contest, with at least seven players scoring in double figures.

AJ Dybantsa Has Big Night

Brigham Young Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa dribbling — Feb 18, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dribbles the ball during the first half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Memorial Center. | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

One of the driving forces behind BYU’s success has been its freshman phenom, AJ Dybantsa. A likely top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, he has a dynamic skill set that is tough for opponents to slow down.

The Cylclones found some success slowing down Darryn Peterson and will have their hands full this time with Dybantsa. Their team defense is very strong, but a bona fide individual wing defender is something they do lack.

Otzelberger will likely throw a host of players at Dybantsa, but he will still find his spots to operate. He will score 25 points, extending his streak of scoring 20+ points to six games.

Cyclones Pick Up Another Marquee Win

Iowa State Cyclones guard Nate Heise rebounding ball. — Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Nate Heise (0) rebounds during the first half against the Brigham Young Cougars at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Winning on the road is never easy in conference. All three of Iowa State’s losses this season have come away from Ames. However, they will not be adding a fourth.

The Cyclones will win their third game in a row and keep pace in the Big 12 regular season standings. A fast-paced game will eventually come down to Iowa State being able to consistently get more stops than the Cougars.

They will come away with an 87-78 victory, strengthening their case to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.