Keys for Iowa State Cyclones Men's Basketball on Road Against Kansas Jayhawks

What will it take for the Iowa State Cyclones to get a rare victory on the road over the Kansas Jayhawks?

Feb 3, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (2) shoots against Kansas Jayhawks guard Dajuan Harris Jr. (3) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are off to the best start in program history during the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season.

They are 16-0 after defeating the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Hilton Coliseum their last time out. Iowa State will be looking to keep the positive momentum going in their next game, heading on the road to face the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Jayhawks have been the gold standard of what Big 12 teams aspire to be under Bill Self. The Cyclones have found virtually zero success in their program’s history playing at Allen Fieldhouse, but they are looking to change that.

Senior point guard Tamin Lipsey has spoken about how great it would be to finally defeat Kansas on their home court. This will be his last chance to accomplish what has been a rare feat.

How can Iowa State get that done? Here are three keys to the Cyclones winning their 17th consecutive game.

Take Care of Basketball

Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) drives with the ball around Long Beach State guard Isaiah Lewis (12) during the first half in the NCAA men’s basketball on Dec. 21, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kansas has not been playing up to its normal standard this season. They enter this matchup against Iowa State with an 11-5 overall record and a tough 1-2 start in Big 12 play. Coming off an 11-point road loss at the West Virginia Mountaineers, whom the Cyclones beat 80-59 at Hilton Coliseum, the Jayhawks will have some motivation heading into this one.

Falling three games behind in the first two weeks of conference play is far from ideal. For Iowa State to keep the home crowd at bay, they need to limit turnovers and not allow Kansas to get easy buckets.

The Jayhawks don’t generate a ton of turnovers, with their 13.9% opponent turnover percentage ranking 346th in the country. They aren’t going to force teams into many mistakes, so the Cyclones need to focus on playing a clean brand of basketball offensively.

It is an area they have excelled at thus far, with a 14.8% turnover rate, which ranks 47th in the nation.

Slow Down Darryn Peterson

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) drives against Missouri Tigers forward Mark Mitchell (25) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The easiest path to victory for Iowa State will be taking Kansas’s best player, freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, out of the game as much as possible. His availability has fluctuated at times this season, playing in only seven games and sometimes being on a minutes restriction.

However, he is starting to look healthier and healthier. Against West Virginia and the TCU Horned Frogs in the last two Jayhawks games, Peterson logged 31 and 32 minutes, the first time all season he has logged 30+ minutes in consecutive contests.

Despite the wonky availability, he has proven to be as dominant as any player in the country when on the court. He is averaging 22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks in only 27.1 minutes per game.

Stopping him is virtually impossible. But if the Cyclones can contain him, they will put themselves in a position to win.

Hit the Glass With Aggression

Jan 10, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) grabs a rebound against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

One of the reasons Iowa State has been so great offensively is its ability to overwhelm opponents on the offensive glass. They are 26th in the country with an offensive rebounding rate of 37.6%.

That is an area they can take full advantage of, Kansas, which ranks eighth in the country with 29.8 defensive rebounds per game but allows 12.2 offensive rebounds per game, which is 317th.

The Jayhawks don’t hit the offensive glass very hard either. They average only 9.6 per game, which is 309th in the country. Their offensive rebounding rate of 28.9 is 247th. Controlling the boards will be a major factor in the Cyclones controlling tempo, keeping the crowd out of the game and winning the contest.