No. 5 Iowa State Cyclones face No. 3 Houston Cougars

Top-ranked college basketball teams clash in highly anticipated matchup

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The No. 5 Iowa State Cyclones will take on the No. 3 Houston Cougars in a highly anticipated college basketball matchup on Monday. Iowa State enters the game with a 9-3 record in Big 12 conference play, while Houston is 11-1 against conference opponents.

Why it matters

This game features two of the top teams in the country, with both squads ranked in the top 5 nationally. The winner will gain an important advantage in the race for conference and national titles.

The details

The Cyclones and Cougars have not faced each other yet this season. Iowa State is led by senior guard Tyrese Hunter, who is averaging 16.2 points per game. Houston is paced by junior forward Jarace Walker, who is putting up 14.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest.

  • The game is scheduled for Monday, February 15, 2026.

The players

Tyrese Hunter

A senior guard for the Iowa State Cyclones, averaging 16.2 points per game.

Jarace Walker

A junior forward for the Houston Cougars, averaging 14.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

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What’s next

The winner of this game will take a major step towards securing a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between two top-5 teams is sure to be an exciting and hard-fought contest, with major implications for the rest of the college basketball season.