ISU @ Oklahoma - GameThread

In the wise words of Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, "GAME ON!"

Travis Ford's Oklahoma State Cowboys managed to do Iowa State a favor by knocking off the Kansas Jayhawks 67-62 on Saturday. This dropped KU to a slim one game lead over ISU in the conference standings, and gives the Cyclones a glimmer of hope in their quest to achieve a conference championship.

However, the task of capturing even a share of the title won't be easy. Here are the remaining regular season games for both Kansas and Iowa State (in the order they'll be played):

ISU @ #17 Oklahoma - Feb 9, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
KU @ Texas Tech - Feb 10, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
KU vs. #16 Baylor - Feb 14, noon (CBS)
ISU vs. #21 West Virginia - Feb 14, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)
KU @ #21 West Virginia - Feb 16, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
ISU @ #21 Oklahoma State - Feb 18, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
ISU @ Texas - Feb 21, 1 p.m. (ESPN OR ESPN2)
KU vs. TCU - Feb 21, 3 p.m. (ESPN OR ESPN2)
KU @ Kansas State - Feb 23, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
ISU vs. #16 Baylor - Feb 25, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
ISU @ Kansas State - Feb 28, TBD
KU vs. Texas - Feb 28, TBD
ISU vs. #17 Oklahoma - March 2, TBD
KU vs. #21 West Virginia - March 3, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
ISU @ TCU - March 7, 1 p.m. (ESPNews)
KU @ #17 Oklahoma - March 7, TBD

Or, in an alternate format...

The common games remaining between the Cyclones and Jayhawks are home dates against West Virginia and Baylor, while shared road trips include visits to Norman and Manhattan.

If we assume that both teams hold down the fort in their home arenas the rest of the year, the remaining differences include ISU's trips to Stillwater, Austin and Fort Worth versus KU's journeys to Lubbock and Morgantown.

As you may be beginning to see, KU has a slightly easier remaining group of games. Both teams' battles against Oklahoma in Norman may be the toughest remaining on their respective schedules (Kansas @ West Virginia also makes a strong case).

However, Iowa State's tilt in the Lloyd Noble Center comes a month earlier than KU's. Will Fred Hoiberg and crew be able to take down the Oklahoma Sooners? Find out... TONIGHT, on BIG MONDAY!

Game Info

The Opponent: Oklahoma (16-7, 7-4)

Tip: Monday, 8 p.m. CST - Lloyd Noble Center - Norman, Oklahoma

TV/Webcast: ESPN (Brent Musburger, PxP; Fran Fraschilla, Analyst) / WatchESPN

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network

Oklahoma SBN Site: Crimson and Cream Machine

What to Know

We're Talking Oklahoma - Is Buddy Hield the conference's best player? Possibly, according to WRNL's cylentbutdeadly.

enCYCLONEpedia: Iowa State at Oklahoma - Kirk Haaland breaks down two of the best teams offensive teams in the conference over on CycloneFanatic.

Three Questions the Cyclones Must Answer - Crimson and Cream Machine's Rich DeCray presents three issues Iowa State will have to address to get a win tonight.

Panther Hawkeye Fans Rejoice - UNI has officially jumped Iowa State in the AP and Coaches polls.

Prediction

The Sooners have only lost one game at home this year, and it took Kansas State an extra overtime period to do it. Since then, Oklahoma is 5-3 with their three losses coming on the road to ranked teams. The Big 12 is FUN.

This year, coach Lon Kruger has the luxury of good bench depth - the Sooners regularly go nine deep, which is nice because it ensures that star guard Buddy Hield doesn't get worn down. The 6-foot-4 junior is averaging a Big 12-leading 17.6 PPG.

Here's a fun fact provided by the Crimson and Cream Machine article I linked above: Oklahoma is beating their conference opponents by an average of 22.75 points in Norman. What does that stat, plus an Iowa State team that typically plays worse on the road equal? Not much fun for Cyclone fans tonight.

I think it'll be tough sledding this evening for ISU, but if they can somehow pick up a win, it would give their conference championship dreams a huge boost.

Oklahoma 81 - Iowa State 70