The top game of Thursday in all of college basketball will be played in Ames, Iowa. The Hawkeyes travel to take on the undefeated and fourth-ranked Cyclones.
After a tough showing in East Lansing, the Hawkeyes bounced back in a big way in their last game against Maryland, winning by 19 points.
The Cyclones are one of the biggest rivals of the Hawkeyes, and this task is not going to be an easy one for Iowa. A victory could very well happen, but some things need to occur for it to happen. Here are the keys to victory for the Cy-Hawk game.
The offense needs to click for all 40 minutes
Saying that the Cyclones are good at both ends of the floor would be an understatement. They are 4th in scoring at 94.6 points per game and 13th in allowing 64.6 points per game.
There's no doubt that the Hawkeyes can play defense, allowing only 62.6 points per game, which is 10th in college basketball, but the offense will be the biggest key to the game.
The offense has not been bad this year, but the team has definitely relied on Bennett Stirtz to get them going. Stirtz leads the team with 18.6 points per game. The next highest on the team is 8.8. Stirtz alone cannot beat the Cyclones, so other players need to step up in a big way.
If the offense can click and go on some runs in this game, this will make the game more interesting and close.
Rebounding has to be better
It should not come as a surprise to anyone who has watched Iowa this season: The team's biggest struggle is rebounding. They are hauling in only 30 rebounds per game, which is 337th in all of college basketball.
Only four players on the team average four or more rebounds per game, led by Cam Manyawu with 4.3. This will have to change to get a victory in this matchup.
Giving a team like Iowa State second-chance opportunities is essentially giving them a win. Limiting each possession to only one shot is crucial in a game of this magnitude.
Everyone needs to find a person as soon as the ball is in the air, haul it in, and crash the boards on offense to keep possessions alive. Having a better rebounding game will help a lot in this game.
Make the crowd at Hilton silent
There is no doubt about it: Hilton Coliseum is going to be loud for this game. This is going to be one of the most challenging road battles for the Hawkeyes, as even Andy Katz has it as the fifth-best home-court advantage in the country.
When this crowd gets loud, the Cyclones tend to play much better, and it has a significant impact on the opposing team as well.
How do the Hawkeyes keep the Cyclone faithful silent? Make plays that make them silent. Going on long offensive runs, making a huge play, or getting stops on defense will quiet the crowd and shift the advantage in the Hawkeyes' favor.
If Iowa can keep the crowd quiet and make enough plays to turn the crowd against the team, this game will be a lot more lopsided than people expect.
While every game means a lot to these athletes, a game like this means more. Going to the rival's court, having the opportunity to take them down there, it just means more.
As stated, it will not be an easy task; in fact, it could be their most difficult this season. However, this game can be won if the right things are done throughout.
Hopefully, we see the same Hawkeye team that beat Maryland last game and can upset Iowa State in this one.