Iowa State is fresh off two takedowns of Top 10 teams but there is seldom room for a breather in the Big 12.
The No. 6 Cyclones look to post another crucial victory over a ranked opponent when they face No. 23 BYU on Saturday night at Provo, Utah.
Iowa State (23-3, 10-3 Big 12) beat then-No. 9 Kansas 74-56 on Feb. 14 and No. 2 Houston 70-67 on Monday in back-to-back stellar home victories.
However, the Cougars (19-7, 7-6) are 10-2 at home and play in one of the more raucous environments in the western half of the country.
That leaves coach T.J. Otzelberger expecting a strong challenge on Saturday night.
“Every night out, it’s a heavyweight fight going on the road,” Otzelberger said. “You’re playing really tough teams, it’s hard to win. You feel like you gotta play perfect on the road.
“But for us, it’s just about staying humble. It’s about staying in our practice habits, staying connected as a group, keeping our focus where it needs to be.”
Backup Nate Heise was a big-time performer for the Cyclones against Houston. He hit the go-ahead corner trey with 1:17 left to finish 3 of 3 from 3-point range, while contributing 11 points and six rebounds in 26 minutes.
It was just the fourth time the sixth-year senior scored in double digits all season. Otzelberger said it won’t be the last huge contribution from Heise, who is averaging 5.3 points in his second season with the Cyclones after being part of the Northern Iowa program for four seasons.
“I know what he’s capable of, and I know what’s in front of him,” Otzelberger said of Heise. “He’s a winner, he’s a competitor. I really value everything about him, and how he plays, and how he approaches the game.
“And put me on record, he’s going to play great the rest of the way. I’m entirely confident in him, and I’m excited as heck for him to continue to just have these great moments that he works for and has earned over his career.”
BYU features one of the top players in the nation in AJ Dybantsa, who has 644 points this season to break the school’s freshman record set by the legendary Danny Ainge (632 in 1977-78).
Dybantsa leads the nation in scoring with a 24.8 average and has scored 30 or more points six times after putting up 35 in Wednesday’s 75-68 road loss to No. 4 Arizona. He also has dished out seven or more assists on four occasions this season.
“I am a natural playmaker,” Dybantsa said. “I grew up playing the point so it comes pretty natural to me. Just learning how to do it quicker now when guys double me, getting off it quicker so guys can have open shots.”
Dybantsa will carry even more of the scoring load after the loss of Richie Saunders (18.0 ppg) for the season. Saunders sustained a torn ACL during the opening minute of last Saturday’s 90-86 overtime victory over visiting Colorado.
The contest against Arizona was the first since Saunders’ injury and the senior guard was on the mind of Cougars coach Kevin Young.
“It (stinks). There is no way to get around it,” Young said. “Richie Saunders epitomizes everything that is good about college basketball. Hate that he is not out there with us. I texted him on the way to shootaround, just thinking about him and missing him.
“This is a resilient group. … We are going through it. That is sports. That is life. We are trying to reinvent ourselves on the fly.”
BYU went 2-0 against Iowa State last season, winning 88-85 in double overtime on the road and 96-92 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 conference tourney.
