Iowa State Vs Byu: BYU Goes For Sorely Need Signature Win
iowa state vs byu is set against a compact narrative: BYU returns to Provo after a seven-point loss to #4 Arizona and will host #6 Iowa State. The Cougars fought hard versus the Wildcats without Richie Saunders but ultimately couldn’t get enough outside of AJ Dybantsa to pull the upset.
Iowa State Vs Byu Preview
BYU enters the matchup as underdogs once again Saturday and will look to finally secure an elusive Quad 1A when they face the Cyclones. The game tips off Saturday at 8: 30pm MT on. KenPom projects Iowa State 79, BYU 78, with BYU given a 45% win probability.
Iowa State season profile
Iowa State has had a great season and is in play for a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Cyclones are known for their physical and aggressive defense; while they aren’t quite as disruptive on defense as they have been in past years, they are more explosive offensively. In Big 12 play Iowa State ranks #4 in KenPom offensive efficiency and #3 in defensive efficiency.
Shooting, rebounds and weaknesses
The first thing that jumps out about Iowa State’s offense is that they are a great shooting team. They are #2 in Big 12 play in three-point shooting and #4 in two-point percentage. The Cyclones shoot 39% from three as a team, paced by leading scorer Milan Momcilovic. Momcilovic shoots over seven threes per game at a 51% clip. Iowa State also rebounds a lot of their misses, ranking second in the conference in offensive rebound percentage and rebounding 36% of their misses.
Turnovers, free throws and defense
Iowa State’s offense has clear vulnerabilities in turnovers and free throws: they rank 12th in turnover percentage in Big 12 play and are last in free throw percentage at 64%. Defensively, their reputation remains well regarded; they aren’t turning teams over quite as much this year but are still #3 in the Big 12 in turnover percentage. They rebound well, don’t foul a ton, and are #3 in three-point defense. The Cyclones give up the highest rate of three-point attempts in the league, though many of those attempts aren’t the looks the offense wants.
Key players and recent form
Big man Joshua Jefferson makes Iowa State unique to defend. Jefferson is their do-everything 6-foot-9 forward and an All-American candidate. He averages 16. 5 points, 7. 5 rebounds, and 5. 2 assists while shooting 38% from three. Jefferson is described as a point forward who fills up the stat sheet with points and rebounds; Iowa State runs a lot of their offense through him and he is arguably the best passing big man in the country. With Toppin’s injury, Jefferson and AJ Dybantsa are the two most likely candidates for defensive player of the year.
Road splits and recent results
Iowa State has one of the best home court advantages in college basketball but aren’t nearly as good on the road. They are 3-3 in true road games in Big 12 play, with road losses at Kansas, Cincinnati, and TCU. Iowa State lost their last home game 62-55 to TCU; in that game they had 17 turnovers and shot 5-22 from three and 2-8 from the foul line. Iowa State’s listed best wins are Purdue (A), St John’s (N), Iowa (H), West Virginia (H), Baylor (H/A), Oklahoma State (H/A), Colorado (H), Kansas State (A), Kansas (H), and Houston (H). Their listed losses are Kansas (A), Cincinnati (A), and TCU (A).
Roster notes and unfinished context
Milan Momcilovic, Forward — the 6-foot-8 wing leads Iowa State in scoring (18 ppg) and is described in the context as the best three-point shooter in the country. Momcil unclear in the provided context.
Subsequent coverage and headlines
Separate headlines in the provided coverage include a game recap headlined "BYU 79-69 Iowa State (Feb 21, 2026) Game Recap" and an instant analysis headlined "Instant Analysis: AJ Dybantsa dominantes in BYU's 79-69 win over Iowa State. " Those headlines are present in the provided input.
All details above are drawn from the provided context and reflect the sequence of preview material, team profiles, player notes, statistics, and subsequent headline text included in the source material.
