Iowa State Cyclones Done In by Another Slow Start Against Cincinnati Bearcats

The Iowa State Cyclones got off to yet another slow start, which ultimately did them in against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James (2) guards Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) in the first half of the NCAA Big 12 basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Iowa State Cyclones at Fifth Third Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones had their undefeated season derailed by the Kansas Jayhawks, snapping a 16-game winning streak.

What did them in that evening was sloppy play offensively and uncharacteristically poor effort defensively. The Jayhawks gave the Cyclones a dose of their own medicine on both ends of the floor.

Looking to get back on track, Iowa State headed on the road for the second consecutive game, this time traveling to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats. This was as good an opportunity as any that the Cyclones would have to get on track, given where the Bearcats place in some rankings.

In the NET, they are the second-lowest-ranked Big 12 team. They have struggled offensively all season, which plays right into what the defensive-minded Cyclones need to succeed on the court.

Iowa State's slow start dooms them against Cincinnati

Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger reacts to an official in the first half of the NCAA Big 12 basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Iowa State Cyclones at Fifth Third Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alas, another slow start ultimately did in Iowa State. They scored the first four points of the game and were ahead 8-7 at the 14:25 mark. Four seconds later, Jalen Celestine knocked down a 3-pointer to give Cincinnati a 10-8 lead, and they never looked back.

That was the start of a 12-0 run that enabled the Bearcats to take control of the game and essentially cruise to the finish line after that, never relinquishing the lead. The Cyclones put some game pressure on Cincinnati at points in the remainder of the game, tying the game less than two minutes into the second half.

Alas, Iowa State was never able to get over the hump. After tying the game, the Bearcats responded with an 18-4 lead to take control once again, resulting in a 79-70 victory when the final buzzer sounded.

It was the first time since 1967 that Cincinnati had defeated a team ranked in the top two, a spot that the Cyclones will not hold once the new AP Poll is released on Monday. Now riding a two-game winning streak, they are assuredly going to plummet in the rankings.

Final: UC 79 - ISU 70

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 17, 2026

In a long regular season, Iowa State was going to face some adversity. A two-game losing streak after a historic start to the campaign certainly isn’t ideal, especially with some causes for concern being raised.

Even a career day from Milan Momcilovic, who scored a career-high 34 points with eight 3-pointers, wasn’t enough to get the Cyclones back in the win column.

Let It Fly, Los!#Cyclones | #C5C | @MilanMomcilovi5 pic.twitter.com/9Fg7hsiT5V

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 17, 2026

Head coach T.J. Otzelberger is going to get his crew back on track. There have been too many slow starts, which is partly on the coaching staff to get their team ready to play out of the gate, because when Iowa State comes out of halftime, they are dominating teams.

Joshua Jefferson is also in a bit of a slump, not playing efficiently on the offensive side in the last two games. He is far from the only player who has hit a skid recently, with turnovers and uncharacteristically sloppy play plaguing the Cyclones.