Texas Christian @ Iowa State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 4, 2020 ) Iowa State 79, Texas Christian 81

RJ Nembhard more than held his own against one of the country's best guards in early January, going off for a career-high 31 points to offset a triple-double by Tyrese Haliburton in TCU's overtime home win over Iowa State. The sophomore will attempt to put together a similar performance nearly two months later against the Cyclones without Haliburton when the Horned Frogs visit Ames on Tuesday.

Nembhard banked in a 3-pointer from near the center court logo with just under two seconds remaining in regulation and scored the first four points of overtime en route to TCU's 81-79 win in the Big 12 opener for both schools on Jan. 4. While the 6-5 guard has continued to play well throughout the conference season, the Horned Frogs wasted their 3-0 start in league action and have only recently picked up their play, winning for the second time in three contests following a 67-60 OT victory against No. 19 West Virginia on Saturday. Iowa State has played four full games since Haliburton was ruled out for the season with a wrist injury and been routed in three of them, losing by an average of 26.3 points in those contests. The Cyclones are coming off their most lopsided defeat ever at Hilton Coliseum, allowing Texas Tech to shoot 72 percent in the first half in an 87-57 loss on Saturday.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT TCU (15-12, 6-8 Big 12): Sophomore center Kevin Samuel (10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks) enjoyed his most complete game in nearly a month Saturday, converting all seven of his field-goal attempts and five of his six free-throw tries on his way to finishing with 19 points, eight boards and five blocks. Nembhard (12.2 points) committed five turnovers but reached double figures for the seventh time in nine contests with 16 points while playing 39 minutes. Desmond Bane (15.6 points) has failed to reach his season scoring average in three of the last four games despite ranking fourth in the conference in scoring and had a potential game-winning shot nullified with 0.9 seconds left in regulation on an offensive foul call Saturday, but he handed out a career-high 10 assists.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (11-16, 4-10): Defense was a problem area before Haliburton broke his wrist and has only been magnified during his absence; the Cyclones have given up a 50-point half in each of their last three losses and allowed no fewer than 87 points in those contests. “Our competitive spirit on defense was the difference in the game, and that’s got to change. It hasn’t, and we’ve got to continue to address that in ways that we can right now," coach Steve Prohm told reporters after the game. Junior forward Solomon Young (9.6 points) has assumed much more of the scoring load in Haliburton's absence, reaching double figures in four of his last five outings following Saturday's 16-point effort.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Samuel has blocked multiple shots in five consecutive outings and nine of the last 10 games.

2. Two of Iowa State's worst three losses ever at Hilton have come this season (the Cyclones lost by 26 to Kansas on Jan. 8).

3. Bane, who has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive contests, enters Tuesday tied with Brandon Parrish (136; 2013-17) for second place on the school's all-time list in games played.

PREDICTION: TCU 73, Iowa State 68