Kansas @ Iowa State preview

Kansas at Iowa State

Last Meeting ( Feb 11, 2021 ) Iowa State 64, Kansas 97

On Monday, Kansas' streak of 231 consecutive weeks and 433 straight games as a Top 25 program ended.

If the Jayhawks close out a busy week Saturday with a Big 12 Conference win at Iowa State, they might start a new streak of being ranked.

Kansas has looked more like its old self this week, bouncing No. 23 Oklahoma State 78-66 Monday night. The Jayhawks returned to the court to rout Iowa State 97-64 on Thursday night at Lawrence in the opener of a home-and-home.

The Jayhawks (14-7, 8-5) made 52.8 percent of their field goals against the Cyclones and converted 12-of-26 3-point attempts.

More pleasing to veteran coach Bill Self was this: His team scored nearly 100 points and committed only seven turnovers, with one in the first half.

"I thought everybody played well," he said. "We took care of the ball. If I was going to be critical, we didn't force enough turnovers, but I thought we played well. And the guys looked like they enjoyed themselves out there playing together."

Ochai Agbaji made five 3-pointers and scored 19 points to pace four Kansas players in double figures, while Christian Braun had 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Agbaji leads five Jayhawks in double figures on the season with 14.1 points per game, while David McCormack contributes 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.

While Kansas appears to be back on track, Iowa State (2-13, 0-10) is in the midst of a nightmare season that could signal the end of coach Steve Prohm's six-season tenure in Ames. Its only wins are against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Jackson State.

The Cyclones have lost nine straight games, and while there have been some near-misses, there have also been humiliating results like Thursday's against Kansas, as well as a 95-56 loss at Mississippi State on Jan. 30.

"Obviously, there's no question about it, this isn't what the fan base deserves," Prohm said, according to the Ames Tribune. "This isn't what the administration deserves. This isn't what anybody signed up for. Disappointed, no doubt about it.

"There's nobody bothered by it more than me and my family. Believe me, I promise you that. I eat, sleep and drink this game trying to get us better."

Jalen Coleman-Lands scored a game-high 20 points at Kansas, but leading scorer Rasir Bolton was held to six shots and nine points. Bolton is averaging 16.1 points.

--Field Level Media