Iowa State @ #18 Iowa

Who will WIN this matchup?

Iowa State Cyclones (7-1)

@ #18 Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2)

Current odds:

Iowa State Cyclones: (-140)

Iowa Hawkeyes: (+120)

•  The line for this game is Iowa State by 2 points.

• Iowa State faces its first true road test of the season when it visits 19th-ranked Iowa on Thursday in the annual Cy-Hawk series. The Cyclones have won four consecutive games, including an 81-59 victory against North Dakota State on Monday, to move on the cusp on the national rankings after receiving the second-most votes (33) outside the Top 25, and hope to continue their upward trajectory by knocking off the Hawkeyes for the fifth time in the last six years.

• Iowa turned some heads by racing out to a 6-0 start, but expectations have been tempered after they suffered back-to-back losses in Big Ten play – including a 90-68 setback to No. 10 Michigan State on Monday. The Hawkeyes averaged 85.3 points during their six-game winning streak, but have been held to fewer than 70 while being outscored 86-46 in the paint over their last two defeats, and hope to bounce back by avoiding its first home loss to the Cyclones since 2014.

• Marial Shayok scored 20 points and matched a career high with three steals in the win against North Dakota State to finish in double figures for the eighth time in as many games. Jacobson added 15 points and 10 rebounds to notch his second consecutive double-double as the Cyclones posted their fourth win of 20 or more points this season. Cameron Lard, who averaged 12.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 2017-18, scored two points and blocked two shots in 10 minutes during his season debut Monday after missing the previous seven games due to suspension.

• Cook scored 15 points and collected eight rebounds in the loss to Michigan State to move within 40 points of reaching 1,000 for his career. Isaiah Moss added 13 points while Jordan Bohannon drilled a pair of triples en route to 11 points against the Spartans to move within two 3-pointers of becoming the seventh player in program history to reach 200 for his career. Highly-touted freshman Joe Wieskamp produced eight points and four rebounds before suffering an ankle injury in the second half against Michigan State and his status for Thursday’s clash is unknown.

• The home team has won 13 of the last 15 meetings in the rivalry.

• Iowa State is 16-4 in December games under Steve Prohm.

• Iowa has won 55 of its last 59 non-conference home games since 2012.