No. 9 Kansas Faces No. 5 Iowa State in Ames

Big 12 rivals meet in top-10 matchup after Kansas handed Iowa State its first loss earlier this season

Feb. 13, 2026 at 9:07pm

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No. 9 Kansas and No. 5 Iowa State will meet in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday for a highly anticipated Big 12 showdown. The Jayhawks previously handed the Cyclones their first loss of the season, 84-63, on January 13 in Lawrence. Kansas enters the game on an eight-game winning streak, while Iowa State is looking to rebound from a recent loss at TCU.

Why it matters

This game features two of the top teams in the Big 12 and the country, setting up what should be an exciting and competitive matchup. The winner will take a big step towards securing a high seed in the NCAA Tournament, while the loser will need to regroup quickly with the postseason approaching.

The details

Kansas is led by sophomore center Flory Bidunga, who is having a dominant season and is the only player in Division I averaging over 14 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson and senior guard Tre White also pace the Jayhawks' offense. Iowa State counters with a talented trio of junior forward Milan Momcilovic, senior forward Joshua Jefferson, and senior guard Tamin Lipsey.

  • Kansas handed Iowa State its first loss of the season, 84-63, on January 13 in Lawrence.
  • Iowa State lost at Cincinnati on January 17 and suffered a setback at TCU earlier this week.

The players

Flory Bidunga

Sophomore center for Kansas who leads the Big 12 and is second nationally with 69 blocked shots, and is the only player in Division I averaging over 14 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.

Darryn Peterson

Freshman guard for Kansas who leads the team with a 20.5 scoring average and has made 36 three-pointers.

Tre White

Senior guard for Kansas who has five double-doubles on the season and is averaging 14.2 points per game.

Milan Momcilovic

Junior forward for Iowa State who leads the team in scoring at 18.4 points per game and has made a team-high 93 three-pointers.

Joshua Jefferson

Senior forward for Iowa State who is averaging 17.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

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What they’re saying

“Well, there was a period of time where they were playing as well as anybody in the country, and then they had a bad week. And after the bad week, they played as well as anybody in the country. Then they had a bad game. I mean, but yeah, they're terrific. I think their bench has gotten better. Their freshmen are good. And obviously, they got three potential All-American-type guys starting. So they're good, and we'll get their best shot.”

— Bill Self, Kansas Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a big step towards securing a high seed in the NCAA Tournament, while the loser will need to regroup quickly with the postseason approaching.

The takeaway

This top-10 matchup between Big 12 rivals Kansas and Iowa State should be an exciting and competitive game, with both teams looking to make a statement heading into the final stretch of the regular season.