Kansas Jayhawks Upset No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones

Jayhawks hand Cyclones their second Big 12 loss of the season

Feb. 14, 2026 at 1:47pm

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The No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks defeated the No. 4 Iowa State Cyclones 74-70 in a Big 12 matchup at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The Jayhawks, who were 6.5-point underdogs, improved to 19-5 overall and 9-2 in conference play with the victory.

Why it matters

This win is a major boost for Kansas' NCAA Tournament hopes, as they now have a marquee road victory over a top-5 opponent. For Iowa State, the loss drops them to 21-4 overall and 8-4 in the Big 12, putting them in a tie for third place in the conference standings.

The details

Kansas was led by a balanced scoring attack, with four players scoring in double figures. Forward Flory Bidunga recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Tre White added 19 points and 10 rebounds. Iowa State was paced by forward Joshua Jefferson's 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks, but the Cyclones committed 12 turnovers as a team.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET.
  • Kansas previously defeated Iowa State 84-63 on January 13, 2026 in Lawrence.

The players

Flory Bidunga

A forward for the Kansas Jayhawks who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds in the win.

Tre White

A guard for the Kansas Jayhawks who scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Joshua Jefferson

A forward for the Iowa State Cyclones who led the team with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough road game against a very good Iowa State team, but our guys really stepped up and played with a lot of energy and focus today.”

— Bill Self, Head Coach, Kansas Jayhawks

“We just didn't have the same intensity and execution that we've had during our recent winning streak. Credit Kansas, they came in here and outplayed us today.”

— T.J. Otzelberger, Head Coach, Iowa State Cyclones

What’s next

The Jayhawks will look to build on this big road win when they host the No. 15 Baylor Bears on February 20th. Iowa State will try to bounce back when they travel to face the Oklahoma Sooners on February 17th.

The takeaway

This victory shows that the Kansas Jayhawks are a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12 this season, as they have now defeated two top-5 opponents on the road. Meanwhile, the loss raises questions about Iowa State's ability to win close games against elite competition, something they'll need to address if they want to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.