Iowa State Cyclones (17-2, 8-1 Big 12) at Arizona Wildcats (13-6, 7-2 Big 12)
Tucson, Arizona; Monday, 10:30 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: No. 3 Iowa State visits Arizona after Curtis Jones scored 33 points in Iowa State’s 76-61 victory against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The Wildcats are 9-1 in home games. Arizona leads the Big 12 in rebounding, averaging 36.6 boards. Tobe Awaka leads the Wildcats with 7.8 rebounds.
The Cyclones have gone 8-1 against Big 12 opponents. Iowa State ranks sixth in the Big 12 shooting 35.0% from 3-point range.
Arizona’s average of 6.9 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.7 fewer made shots on average than the 7.6 per game Iowa State gives up. Iowa State scores 15.7 more points per game (84.6) than Arizona allows to opponents (68.9).
The Wildcats and Cyclones meet Monday for the first time in conference play this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Awaka is averaging 7.4 points and 7.8 rebounds for the Wildcats. Caleb Love is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Jones is averaging 18.6 points for the Cyclones. Keshon Gilbert is averaging 14.6 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wildcats: 9-1, averaging 82.0 points, 34.7 rebounds, 18.3 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.0 points per game.
Cyclones: 9-1, averaging 81.7 points, 35.0 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 10.3 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.5 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Iowa State basketball coach TJ Otzelberger on prepping for Arizona
Iowa State basketball coach TJ Otzelberger on prepping for Arizona after loss to Texas Tech.
We’re heading down the homestretch.
Iowa State men’s basketball has two regular-season games left, followed by the Big 12 Tournament.
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Iowa State enters the final week of the regular season with a 24-5 overall record and an 11-5 mark in Big 12 action.
The Cyclones have a NCAA Tournament resume-bolstering opportunity on Monday, March 2 with a road game against Arizona, before wrapping up the regular-season on Saturday, March 7 against Arizona State.
Plenty can still change with bracketology from now until Selection Sunday on March 15, but here is where experts are projecting Iowa State to land in the NCAA Tournament entering the final week of the regular season:
Iowa State basketball’s computer metrics as of Tuesday
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5
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Nebraska men’s basketball faces a critical week that will determine its Big Ten Conference and NCAA Tournament seeding.
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The Huskers play at UCLA on Tuesday night and finish the regular season next Sunday at home vs. Iowa.
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The Huskers are currently tied for second place in the Big Ten with Michigan State. Both teams have four conference losses. They are one game in the loss column ahead of Illinois and Purdue, with five losses. Wisconsin has six losses.
The top four teams earn the coveted triple bye for the Big Ten Tournament. Regular-season champion Michigan has one spot locked up.
Here are the remaining schedules of the contenders for the triple bye, with conference record in parentheses:
Nebraska (14-4) * Tuesday: at UCLA * Sunday: vs. Iowa
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Michigan State (13-4) * Sunday: at Indiana * Thursday: vs. Rutgers * Sunday, March 8: at Michigan
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Illinois (13-5) * Tuesday: vs. Oregon * Sunday, March 8: at Maryland
Purdue (12-5) * Sunday: at Ohio State * Wednesday: at Northwestern * Saturday: vs. Wisconsin
Wisconsin (12-6) * Wednesday: vs. Maryland * Saturday: at Purdue
Maintaining an NCAA seed no worse than 3 should benefit the Huskers, who wouldn’t have to play, theoretically, the No. 1 seed until the Elite Eight game.
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It’s a ton to play for in the final week of a historic regular season for Nebraska. But that’s what March is all about.
Nebraska at UCLA
When: Tuesday, 10 p.m. CT Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles Records: Nebraska, 25-4, 14-4 in Big Ten; UCLA, 19-10, 11-7 in Big Ten TV: FS1
Rankings updated based on games through Saturday.
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UCLA rankings
* Associated Press Top 25: Not ranked * NCAA Net Ratings: 40 * USA Today Coaches Poll: Not ranked * Kenpom.com: 41 * ESPN Power Index: 34 * Top 25 and 1: Not ranked * Team Rankings.com: 41
In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, UCLA is a 9-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament. The next Bracketology will be released Tuesday.
Nebraska rankings
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* Associated Press Top 25: 12 * NCAA Net Ratings: 12 * USA Today Coaches Poll: 10 * Kenpom.com: 11 * ESPN Power Index: 15 * Top 25 and 1: 8 * Team Rankings.com: 11
In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Nebraska is a 3-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.
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Nebraska-UCLA analysis
The Bruins are coming off a strange week. They crushed visiting rival USC, 81-62, on Tuesday, then lost at Minnesota, 78-73, on Saturday.
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UCLA is 16-1 at home, its only loss to Indiana, 98-97, in double overtime on Jan. 31.
The game will be a homecoming for Huskers forward Berke Buyuktuncel, who played at UCLA in 2023-24, his freshman season. Buyuktuncel has started 27 games and averages 6.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season for the Huskers and frequently earns praise from coach Fred Hoiberg.
Nebraska thoroughly dispatched USC on Saturday, 82-67, an impressive performance on the road against a Trojans team desperate for a statement win to help — or save — their NCAA hopes.
Pryce Sandfort scored 32 points — one short of his career high — as the Huskers won their 14th conference game, a school record. Nebraska is 7-2 on the road in conference games.
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This should be a great matchup — UCLA a strong team playing at home vs. a Nebraska team playing well and full of confidence. This feels like a one-possession game.
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Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg goes to the basket as Iowa forward Cooper Koch defends during the first meeting in Iowa City. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Iowa at Nebraska
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When: Sunday, March 8, 4 p.m. CT Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena Records: Nebraska, 25-4, 14-4 in Big Ten; Iowa, 20-9, 10-8 in Big Ten TV: Fox
Rankings updated based on games through Saturday.
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Iowa rankings
* Associated Press Top 25: 33 * NCAA Net Ratings: 28 * USA Today Coaches Poll: 30 * Kenpom.com: 24 * ESPN Power Index: 35 * Top 25 and 1: Not ranked * Team Rankings.com: 31
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In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Iowa is an 8-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.
Nebraska rankings
* Associated Press Top 25: 12 * NCAA Net Ratings: 12 * USA Today Coaches Poll: 10 * Kenpom.com: 11 * ESPN Power Index: 15 * Top 25 and 1: 8 * Team Rankings.com: 11
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In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology projections for ESPN, Nebraska is a 3-seed for the 68-team NCAA Tournament.
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Nebraska forward Braden Frager defends a fast-break layup attempt by Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz in the teams’ first meeting on Feb. 17. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Nebraska-Iowa analysis
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The Hawkeyes are coming off a puzzling, 71-69 loss at Penn State on Saturday. Iowa led 67-62 with 3:49 to play, and then scored only one more basket. Iowa plays host to Michigan on Thursday.
Nebraska will get a final curtain call at Pinnacle Bank Arena, where the Huskers are 15-2.
Nebraska should have revenge on its mind after losing at Iowa, 57-52, on Feb. 17, in Sandfort’s return to Iowa City, where he played for two seasons.
Whatever Nebraska nerves were a factor at Iowa shouldn’t be in play at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska shot only 21 percent from distance in Iowa City. Sandfort scored 13 points, his lowest total since Jan. 10, when he scored 12 at Indiana.
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Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz scored 25 points. That won’t happen in this game. Neither will Nebraska’s ice-cold shooting from distance, especially if the game could determine the triple bye for the Huskers.
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