How to Watch Iowa State Cyclones vs Cincinnati Bearcats in Big 12 Matchup

Here's how to watch as the Iowa State Cyclones head to play the Cincinnati Bearcats

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play during the second half against Oklahoma State in the Big-12 men’s basketball on Jan. 10, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coming off their first loss of the season, the Iowa State Cyclones will be facing off against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday afternoon with the hopes of bouncing back. 

It was a challenging game on Tuesday night for the Cyclones. The team came into Allen Fieldhouse with a perfect 16-0 record to face off against the Kansas Jayhawks. This was a team not performing up to expectations, but in need of a signature win. They were indeed able to get that by knocking off the number two team in the country, and it very well could have been a performance to turn their season around. 

For Iowa State, they clearly just didn’t have it to start the game. They dug themselves into an early hole with some bad offensive possessions and a plethora of turnovers. Even though the Jayhawks might not have been playing their best leading up to this game, they are always a threat at home. 

Following their first loss of the campaign, it is going to be interesting to see how they respond. On Saturday, they will be facing the Bearcats on the road once again. Here’s how to watch the Big 12 matchup. 

Who: Iowa State Cyclones vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

When: Saturday, January 17, 2026, 2:00 PM ET

Television: Peacock

Where: Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati, OH)

Elite Players

📰: https://t.co/PCNWSVNf25#Cyclones | #C5C | @TaminLipsey | @Joshua_LV0 pic.twitter.com/tJEGUjG2A3

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) January 15, 2026

Coming off a loss, Iowa State should be highly motivated to bounce back, and this will be a good opportunity for them to do so. So far this season, the Bearcats have a 9-8 record and are just 1-3 in the Big 12 so far. 

This will likely not be the most exciting game to watch, with Cincinnati being a team that struggles quite a bit offensively, but it is a Top 10 caliber team on the defensive side of the court. With the Cyclones being fairly well balanced, they should be able to handle themselves in what could be a grind-it-out style of game. 

However, Iowa State must not take the Bearcats for granted with their defense being so impressive. The Cyclones must avoid getting off to the slow starts that have been a bit of a problem for them of late, and that really hurt them against the Jayhawks. 

While Iowa State should be able to bounce back, it will be interesting to see how the team handles the first loss of the campaign. All the tools are still there for this to be one of the best teams in the country, but they will have to prove it.