Utah basketball vs. Iowa State by the numbers

Runnin' Utes are set to take on the Cyclones in Salt Lake City

The Utah Runnin' Utes face the Iowa State Cyclones with an opportunity to earn their first ranked win in nearly a year. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah looks to pull off a major upset Tuesday as it hosts Iowa State in a Big 12 tilt from the Huntsman Center.

Tipoff between the Runnin' Utes (10-17, 2-12 Big 12) and Cyclones (23-4, 10-4 Big 12) is set for 7 p.m. MT on Fox Sports 1.

Here's a look at the matchup through the lens of some notable statistics and trends.

Iowa State vs. Utah By The Numbers

16: 20-Point Games For Terrence Brown This Season

Terrence Brown was on a scoring heater before a rocky start to February. The 6-foot-3 guard who was putting up 20 points regularly through the first month of Big 12 play was held below his season average for five consecutive games prior to his 21-point outing against UCF, and shot below 40% from the field in each of those contests.

Brown snapped out of his funk Saturday against the Knights while going 9-of-15 from the floor, including 8-of-12 inside the arc. Utah wound up losing anyway, and while Alex Jensen had grown tired of morale victories by that point, Brown putting together an efficient and productive night after it seemed like the Big 12 had him figured out was a positive sign the Utes would be able to rely on him down the stretch of the regular season and into the Big 12 tournament.

Also worth noting: Brown took one more step toward becoming just the third Utes player since 1996-97 to average 20 or more points in a single season with Saturday's performance.

12: Consecutive Losses For Utah Against Top-10 Defenses

Over the past few years, the Utes haven't fared well against teams that like to dig in their heals defensively. Unfortunately for them, those kind of identities are riddled throughout their conference schedule.

Iowa State, which ranks No. 8 in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom, is the fourth such Big 12 team Utah will have faced this season, and the third top-10 rated defensive the Utes have ran into since Feb. 10. Talk about a gauntlet for Jensen and company in his first season at the helm.

Utah's struggles in these types of matchups predate Jensen's arrival, though. In fact, it's been almost five years exactly since the Utes last beat a team that finished the season with a top-10 KenPom defense: February 27, 2021, in a 71-61 victory over a USC squad that ended the 2020-21 campaign ranked No. 6 in adjusted defensive efficiency (thanks in large part to Evan Mobley).

This season, Arizona (No. 2 in adjusted defensive efficiency), Houston (No. 7) and Cincinnati (No. 10) have all gotten the better of Utah while making it extremely difficult to establish any sort of rhythm on offense. In all three games, the Utes shot below 45% from the field and committed 10 or more turnovers.

Against an Iowa State squad that allows just 65.1 points per game, Utah is going to face many of the same obstacles the Wildcats, Cougars and Bearcats threw its way. Taking care of the ball will be paramount for the Utes, given the Cyclones force turnovers at the eighth-highest rate in the country according to KenPom (21.8) and are 18-1 when their opponent commit 13 or more this season.

9.9: Iowa State's Chances Of Earning No. 1 Seed In NCAA Tournament (In Percent)

When the NCAA Tournament selection committee revealed its current top 16 seeds for the field of 68 on Saturday, Iowa State was on pace to earn one of the four No. 1 seeds.

Then the Cyclones stumbled in a double-digit loss to BYU, fell two games back of first place in the Big 12 standings and had their chances of earning a top seed in the tournament diminished to just 9.9%, according to Torvik.

Needless to say, a setback to a Utah squad that's ranked outside the NET's top 100 teams would essentially bring an end to the Cyclones' hopes of landing on the 1-seed line come Selection Sunday. Expect T.J. Otzelberger to have his group ready to take care of business ahead of Saturday's pivotal showdown with Texas Tech.

140.7 Milan Momcilovic's Offensive Rating

Milan Momcilovic has been quite the revelation for the Cyclones this season. The 6-foot-8 Wisconsin native who put up 11.5 points per game on 42.9% shooting as a sophomore last season paces Iowa State with 17.5 points on 52.8% shooting from the field, including a nation-best 50.8% from behind the arc, through 27 games as a junior. He's also No. 2 in the country in true shooting percentage at 71.8%.

Add it all up, and you got one of the most potent offensive players in the country who's a threat to score from the moment he crosses halfcourt. Momcilovic ranks No. 5 nationally in offensive rating (140.7) according to KenPom and is tied for the Big 12 lead in 3-pointers made (100).

However, much like the Cyclones as a whole, Momcilovic hasn't been as consistent outside of Hilton Coliseum this season. Six of his eight lowest point totals of the season have come on the road or in neutral site environments, including his 5-point outing at BYU over the weekend. Time will tell if Utah's Keanu Dawes is up for the challenge of slowing down Iowa State's prolific 6-foot-8 wing.

Here's a look at where the Utes and Cyclones rank nationally in other statistical categories heading into Tuesday.

Utah's Offense vs. Iowa State's Defense

Adjusted efficiency

Utah: 115 (No. 92 nationally)
Iowa State: 93.6 (No. 8)

Scoring

Utah: 75.6 points per game (No. 193)
Iowa State: 65.1 points allowed per game (No. 13)

Effective field goal percentage

Utah: 52% (No. 150)
Iowa State: 48.7% (No. 62)

3-point field goal percentage

Utah: 35.2% (No. 110)
Iowa State: 31.8% (No. 63)

3-pointers per game

Utah: 8 (No. 165)
Iowa State: 7.6 (No. 159)

2-point field goal percentage

Utah: 51.6% (No. 190)
Iowa State: 49.5% (No. 91)

Turnovers per game

Utah: 11.3 (No. 159)
Iowa State: 14.9 (No. 15)

Assist rate

Utah: 51.3% (No. 215)
Iowa State: 53.6% (No. 214)

Utah's Defense vs. Iowa State's Offense

Adjusted efficiency

Utah: 109.4 (No. 165)
Iowa State: 124.8 (No. 17)

Scoring

Utah: 78.4 points allowed per game (No. 304)
Iowa State: 83.1 points per game (No. 44)

Effective field goal percentage

Utah: 52.9% (No. 251)
Iowa State: 57.8% (No. 13)

3-point field goal percentage

Utah: 33.7% (No. 163)
Iowa State: 39.6% (No. 6)

3-pointers per game

Utah: 7 (No. 87)
Iowa State: 9 (No. 92)

2-point field goal percentage

Utah: 54% (No. 279)
Iowa State: 56.8% (No. 41)

Turnovers per game

Utah: 9.6 (No. 340)
Iowa State: 10.5 (No. 73)

Assist rate

Utah: 47% (No. 47)
Iowa State: 59.6% (No. 38)

Play Styles

Utah

• Percentage of points from 3-pointers: 31.6% (No. 179)
• Percentage of points from 2-pointers: 50% (No. 146)
• Percentage of points from free throws: 18.4% (No. 254)

Iowa State

• Percentage of points from 3-pointers: 32.5% (No. 156)
• Percentage of points from 2-pointers: 50.5% (No. 133)
• Percentage of points from free throws: 17% (No. 314)