PRIMER: No. 4 Iowa State vs. Eastern Illinois

Who: Iowa State (10-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Eastern Illinois (2-7, 0-1 OVC)

Where: Hilton Coliseum (14,267) – Ames, Iowa

When: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 – 12 p.m. CT

Watch: FS1 // Alex Cohen (PxP), Derrin Hansen (Analyst) & Shannon Ehrhardt (sideline)

Listen: Cyclone Radio Network // John Walters (PxP) & Eric Heft (Analyst)

Tipping Off: Coming off of back-to-back wins over Big Ten programs, the Cyclones will look to extend one of the best starts to a season in program history as they welcome Eastern Illinois to Hilton Coliseum for its lone road contest of December.

Iowa State is coming off of an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk victory, as it bested rival Iowa on Thursday evening. The Cyclones overcame a 13-point deficit against the Hawkeyes for the second consecutive season, as Head Coach T.J. Otzelberger moved to 4-1 against Iowa.

The Panthers will look to snap a four-game skid against ISU, as EIU last won on Nov. 19 against Tiffin. Eastern Illinois has battled injuries in the early portion of the season, as coach Marty Simmons has been forced to use six different starting lineup combinations through nine contests.

Storylines:

At No. 4 in the AP Top 25 Poll, Iowa State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 for 38 straight weeks, the sixth-longest streak in the nation. It is the second-longest streak in the Big 12 behind Houston's 112, which is the longest streak in the country.
- The Cyclones and Cougars are the only two Big 12 schools to have streaks of at least 20 weeks.
The Cyclones had three players named to the Naismith Starting Five Preseason Watch lists. Iowa State was one of nine schools in the country to have at least three players named. Along with three selections on the women's side, ISU was one of just five schools in the country to have at least six combined selections.
- Tamin Lipsey was named to the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List.
  - Lipsey is also on both the Wooden Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch Lists.
- Milan Momcilovic was named to the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Watch List.
  - Momcilovic earned his first Big 12 weekly honor on Dec. 8, as he scored a team-high 20 points in ISU's road win at No. 1 Purdue.
- Joshua Jefferson was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Watch List. Former Cyclone Georges Niang won the award in 2016.
  - Jefferson, like Lipsey, is also on the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List.
  - Jefferson was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 1 for his performance in his home city of Las Vegas, where he averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists across three games.
  - Jefferson became just the third player in the last 30 years to record consecutive 10-plus assist, zero turnover games (Syracuse & Alcorn State).

From the Notes:

As a head coach, Otz is 204-108 overall and has guided the Cyclones to a 105-45 record over the last four years.
- He earned his 100th win at Iowa State against HOF coach Rick Pitino and No. 14 St. John's in the Players Era Championship opener on Nov. 24.
- He then earned his 200th win over his mentor and former head coach Greg McDermott on Nov. 25.
- His 95 wins in his first four years at Iowa State were the most by any coach in program history in their first four years as head coach.
Under Otz, ISU is 58-10 against non-conference opponents. His 58 wins are the tied for the seventh-most in the nation, and the .853 winning percentage is the fourth-best.
With last Saturday's win over No. 1 Purdue, Iowa State has 27 wins over top 25 teams since Otzelberger took over (2021-22). That is tied for the fourth-most in the nation during that stretch.
Otz has led Iowa State to three 20-plus win seasons, joining Orr (5), Hoiberg (4), Floyd (3) and Prohm (3) as only ISU coaches to do so multiple times.
Coach Otzelberger is the only Iowa State men's basketball coach to take multiple teams to the Sweet 16.
- He was the 51st coach in NCAA Division I history to take a team to the Sweet 16 twice in his first three years on the job.
- In four postseason appearances, Otzelberger has five NCAA Tournament wins – the most by any coach in program history.
Otz currently holds the school's highest winning percentage by a head coach.
As of Friday morning, Iowa State slots in at No. 4 in both the NET rankings and the ESPN Basketball Power Index, while KenPom has it as the No. 2 team.

Switching Sides:

Eastern Illinois is facing Iowa State for the fifth time in program history, with each game coming in Ames. ISU is 4-0 all-time and holds a 23-point average margin of victory.
- The Panthers will attempt to become the first team from the Ohio Valley Conference to defeat Iowa State in men's basketball. ISU holds a 22-0 all-time record against OVC teams.
ISU and EIU faced off just two seasons ago here in Hilton Coliseum. Kooper Jacobi is the lone Panther still on the team, while Tamin Lipsey, Cade Kelderman and Milan Momcilovic are still on ISU's roster.
- The Panthers returned four players from last year's roster, added a pair of freshmen and signed eight transfers.
EIU was picked to finish 10th out of 11 in the OVC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll after finishing ninth last season.
Eastern Illinois has already faced two Top 10 teams, and Iowa State will be its third such opponent this season. Only the No. 12 Alabama Crimson Tide (4) have faced more Top 10 teams so far this season.
Eastern Illinois head coach Marty Simmons is in his fifth season coaching the Panthers and owns a 42-93 record during his time in Charleston, Ill.
- The 15th coach in EIU history, Simmons is a former Illinois Mr. Basketball for Lawrenceville High School. He has previous head coaching stops at Wartburg (1996-97), SIUE (2002-07), and his alma mater, Evansville (2007-18). In total, he owns an overall coaching record of 325-339.
EIU is ranked No. 345 in the NET. The Panthers are No. 337 in KenPom and No. 351 in ESPN's Basketball Power Index.

PRIMER: No. 4 Iowa State vs. Eastern Illinois

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Joshua Jefferson

Cade Kelderman

Tamin Lipsey

Milan Momcilovic

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PRIMER: No. 4 Iowa State vs. Eastern Illinois

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