Keys to Iowa State Cyclones Defeating Kansas Jayhawks in Rematch

The Iowa State Cyclones have a few areas to improve upon from their first meeting with the Kansas Jayhawks.

Jan 13, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) drives against Kansas Jayhawks guard Tre White (3) and guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones suffered their third loss of the season in their most recent game, being defeated by the TCU Horned Frogs on the road.

They are facing a stiff test to ensure another losing streak isn’t started. The Cyclones will host the Kansas Jayhawks on national television in a rematch of their game on Jan. 13. That one was played at Allen Fieldhouse, and Kansas rolled to an 84-63 victory.

That was the first loss of the campaign for Iowa State, which had won 16 games in a row out of the gate. Now, they will be looking to exact some revenge on their Big 12 rival at Hilton Coliseum.

What will it take for that to happen? Here are four keys to victory for the Cyclones against the Jayhawks.

Slow Down Darryn Peterson

Kansas' Darryn Peterson warms up before a Big 12 Conference men's basketball game, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at United Supermarkets Arena. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“You can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him,” is what many coaches and evaluators would say about the Kansas freshman phenom. He has been in and out of the lineup with different ailments, but when he plays, he is dominant.

Peterson looks ready for the NBA, averaging 20.5 points per game on a .489/.419/.791 shooting split. He is pulling down 4.2 rebounds to go along with 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

It is anyone’s guess how much he will play on a given night, but if he is out there, Iowa State has to do everything it can to slow him down. He has scored at least 14 points in every game he has played this season.

More Blake Buchanan

Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) drives with the ball against Baylor during the second half in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Feb. 7, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cyclones are going to have their hands full on the interior. In the first matchup, Flory Bindunga made his presence felt on both ends of the court with 10 points, seven rebounds, one assist, two steals, and four blocks.

To combat that, Iowa State needs a lot more from its starting big man than it received back in January. Buchanan played only 14 minutes, scoring two points with two rebounds. His primary backup, freshman Dominykas Pleta, had two points and one rebound in eight minutes of action.

That kind of production won’t cut it in the rematch. Buchanan needs to make his presence felt on the interior to help set the tone.

Pressure on Both Ends

Feb 10, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs forward David Punch (15) is defended by Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Cyclones have developed a reputation for being a physical and aggressive squad. That was lacking in their trip to Lawrence, with the Jayhawks getting out to an early lead and cruising to victory.

Now on their home court, Iowa State needs to make Kansas as uncomfortable as possible. There needs to be more aggression and physicality in how they play. In the first matchup, the Jayhawks had only nine turnovers and were whistled for only nine fouls.

The pressure needs to be ramped up this time around. Head coach T.J. Otzelberger has shown a willingness to play smaller recently, and that could happen again with three guards sharing the court at the same time and looking to speed up the tempo.

Stars Step Up

Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) reacts after a three-point shot against Baylor during the first half in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Feb. 7, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If the Cyclones are going to defeat a red-hot Jayhawks squad, they need their star players to perform up to their capabilities. That didn’t happen on Jan. 13.

Tamin Lipsey shot four of 15 from the field. Joshua Jefferson was four of 14, turning the ball over five times and having numerous poor possessions. Milan Momcilovic was three for nine from the field overall, shooting two of six from 3-point range.

Picking up a win when your three most important players are all struggling is a virtually impossible task. They need to play better if they want to snap Kansas’s eight-game winning streak.