Iowa State @ Kansas State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Kansas State 58, Iowa State 57

Kansas State hasn't won a conference championship since conquering the Big Eight title in 1977 but the No. 18 Wildcats are in excellent position to win their first Big 12 crown as they host No. 22 Iowa State on Saturday. Kansas State started 0-2 in conference before defeating every Big 12 team in succession, culminating with Tuesday's 71-64 victory at Texas, and leads No. 14 Kansas and No. 15 Texas Tech by 1 1/2 games.

“It’s possible, but it’s possible for everyone right behind us, too,'' Wildcats coach Bruce Weber told reporters about winning the title. "If you look, there’s four teams, right? They’re tied for second, or right there. ... You just never know. All we can worry about is Saturday.” The Cyclones are tied for fourth with Baylor - two games behind Kansas State - after a 92-83 loss to TCU on Feb. 9 snapped a four-game winning streak. "They're a really tough team," senior guard Nick Weiler-Babb told reporters about the Wildcats. "They've got some really experienced seniors, and those are the guys who are taking the lead." Kansas State has won three straight meetings, including 58-57 in Ames, Iowa, on Jan. 12 as senior guard Barry Brown delivered the game-winning bucket with four seconds left.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT IOWA STATE (18-6, 7-4 Big 12): Senior guard Marial Shayok (19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds) is second in the conference in scoring after recording 24 points and seven rebounds against TCU. Sophomore guard Lindell Wigginton (12.6 points) is averaging 15.8 points and shooting 47.8 percent from the field - 44 percent from 3-point range - over the last five games. Junior forward Michael Jacobson (12.2 points, team-high 6.1 rebounds) recorded 16 points versus TCU, marking his highest-scoring Big 12 game, while senior guard Nick Weiler-Babb (9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists) and freshman guard Talen Horton-Tucker (12.0 points, 5.3 boards) are also major contributors.

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (19-5, 9-2): Brown (team-high 15.4 points) is averaging 18.6 points while shooting 53.5 percent from the field during the team's winning streak in conference play, raising his season number to 44.9. Senior forward Dean Wade (13.9 points, club-most 6.7 rebounds), the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, has scored 12 points in each of the last three games since scoring a season-high 24 versus Oklahoma State on Feb. 2. Senior guard Kamau Stokes (10.3 points, team-best 3.5 assists) and junior forward Xavier Sneed (10.0 points, 5.7 rebounds) add scoring depth with Sneed averaging 13.0 points and 6.0 boards over the last three contests.

TIP-INS

1. The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in scoring at 79.0 points per game while the Wildcats are last at 65.9.

2. Iowa State G Tyrese Haliburton (7.3 points, team-high 4.1 assists) has a 4.9 assist-to-turnover ratio, which leads the Big 12 and is tops nationally among freshmen.

3. Kansas State hadn't won nine straight conference games since claiming 11 in a row in 1974.

PREDICTION: Kansas State 69, Iowa State 68