Texas @ Iowa State preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2017 ) Iowa State 65, Texas 67

Texas coach Shaka Smart got an unexpected surprise last June when Mohamed Bamba, one of the nation’s top high school prospects, chose the Longhorns over expected destinations of Kentucky or Duke. The 6-11 Bamba, who has transformed Texas into an NCAA Tournament-caliber team, will try and deliver the Longhorns their first Big 12 Conference win on New Year’s Day when they visit an Iowa State team that is also seeking its first league triumph.

In a 92-86 home loss to Kansas on Friday, Bamba (11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.6 blocks) opened the eyes of NBA scouts, setting career highs with 22 points, 15 rebounds and eight blocks - a Texas freshman single-game record. “We ask him to do so much … but he blocked shots all night long. He rebounded all night long. He got offensive rebounds (eight),” Smart told reporters after the game. “I think he's making progress. For us to get him 16 shots is big.” Iowa State had a surprising non-conference campaign considering it was replacing four starters and shot 68 percent from the floor in the first half Friday against Kansas State but couldn’t keep up the pace in the 91-75 loss as the Wildcats shot 55 percent from the floor for the game and drained half of their 26 3-pointers. “Defensively, the second half, as well in the first, just unacceptable. Very, very disappointing. (It) kind of takes you back to the beginning of non-conference season,” Iowa State coach Steve Prohm told the media, referring to losses against Missouri and Milwaukee that opened the season before winning nine straight.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT TEXAS (9-4, 0-1 Big 12): Junior forward Dylan Osetkowski netted 17 points and brought down eight rebounds against Kansas, while freshman guard Matt Coleman added 17 points, five assists and matched a season high with six boards. Osetkowski leads the team in scoring (14.8 points) and is second in rebounding (7.8) but the Longhorns certainly missed shooting guard Andrew Jones (14.1 points, 43.6 percent from behind the arc), who played just nine minutes Friday after sitting out four games with a broken wrist. Coleman (8.2 points, 4.2 assists) is shooting just 34 percent from the floor but is committing fewer than two turnovers per game.

ABOUT IOWA STATE (9-3, 0-1): Freshman Lindell Wigginton (16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists) wasn’t intimidated in his first Big 12 game, scoring 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting, but the 6-2 Canadian made just one of five shots after intermission and missed six of his 15 free-throw attempts on the night. The Cyclones will have a tough time matching up with Bamba, as 6-8 Solomon Young (6.8 points, 5.7 rebounds) - coming off a season-high 16 points - is the tallest starter and 6-9 Cameron Lard (10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds) is the tallest reserve. Joining Wigginton in the high-scoring backcourt is 6-2 senior Donovan Jackson (15.0 points) and 6-5 Nick Weiler-Babb (12.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists).

TIP-INS

1. The teams split two games last season with each winning on its home floor.

2. The previous freshman record for blocks at Texas was seven by Tristan Thompson in the 2010-11 season and Chris Mihm twice during the 1997-98 campaign.

3. Wigginton is second in the Big 12 in scoring among freshmen behind Oklahoma's Trae Young (29.6) and sixth among players in major conferences.

PREDICTION: Texas 74, Iowa State 72