Iowa State Cyclones (16-14, 3-12) AT Kansas State Wildcats (21-9, 9-6)

Bramlage Coliseum — Manhattan, Kan.
Saturday, March 5, 2011 — 12:30 PM CST

Big 12 Network | ESPN Full Court | ESPN3.com

To echo a sentiment from the comments section on today's BIG 12 OUTLOOK: Don't frack up Jacob Pullen's Senior Day, Cats.

We all know what happened last year. But that was a different team — one that already had locked up the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.

This team has no such luxury. This is a must-win game. Time to take care of business and send the Mayor home crying.

You can read my preview of Iowa State here, revisit our nail-biting tension during the first game here or chat with Cyclone fans at Clone Chronicles.

Predictions:

• BracketCat: Kansas State 78, Iowa State 66
  
• GAMER: Kansas State 80, Iowa State 63
  
• Pomeroy: Kansas State 79, Iowa State 67
  
• Sagarin: Kansas State 76, Iowa State 68
  

From the K-State Sports Information Department:

Kansas State (21-9, 9-6 Big 12) will conclude its regular-season home slate Saturday afternoon, when the Wildcats host surging Iowa State (16-14, 3-12) on Senior Day at Bramlage Coliseum at 12:30 p.m.

It will be the final home contest for seniors Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly, as well as senior managers Chris Connell and Jake Kupersmith.

All four will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

The winners of five in a row, the Wildcats can secure the No. 4 seed and a bye in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, held March 9-12 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., with a victory over the Cyclones, while a victory and a loss by Texas A&M at home to Texas Tech would give the Wildcats the No. 3 seed.

The home finale will be broadcast regionally on the Big 12 Network, with Mitch Holthus (play-by-play) and Jon Sundvold (analyst) on the call.

Locally, the game will be available on KMCI-TV in Kansas City, KSAS-TV in Wichita, and KSNT-TV in the Manhattan and Topeka areas.

It also will be available nationally on ESPN Full Court, as well as on the Internet at ESPN3.com.

Fans can listen to the "Voice of the Wildcats," Wyatt Thompson, and analyst Stan Weber throughout the 33-station K-State Sports Network, as well as free of charge online at www.k-statesports.com.

The Big 12 standings remain in flux, with only Iowa State solidified as the No. 12 seed for next week’s Big 12 Tournament.

Kansas (28-2, 13-2) clinched at least a share of its seventh consecutive conference championship with its victory over Texas A&M on Wednesday and remain a half-game ahead of second-place Texas (24-6, 12-3).

However, the Longhorns can snag a share of the title and the No. 1 seed with a win over Baylor (18-11, 7-8) and a loss by the Jayhawks to Missouri (22-8, 8-7).

The Aggies have guaranteed themselves a bye in Kansas City and will be the No. 3 seed with a victory over Texas Tech at home.

The fourth and final spot will go to either K-State or Missouri, depending on Saturday’s results, with multiple possible tiebreakers coming into effect.

The Wildcats will be looking to keep their streak alive with a win over the Cyclones — they are one of only two teams (Kansas) in the league to earn a bye in the Big 12 Tournament in each of the last four seasons.

The Wildcats will look to enact a little revenge on Iowa State on Saturday — the Cyclones spoiled the squad’s Senior Day festivities a year ago with an 85-82 overtime win at Bramlage Coliseum on March 6, 2010.

It was the school’s first win in Manhattan since 2001 and snapped an eight-game losing streak in the series.

Iowa State has emerged from a difficult stretch to post consecutive Big 12 wins for the first time since 2008, with victories over Nebraska (83-82) and Colorado (95-90) in the last eight days.

The win over the Cornhuskers snapped a 10-game losing skid, which included two overtime setbacks and six losses by single digits.

It will be the 212th meeting between K-State and ISU on the hardwood in a series that dates back to 1909.

It is the fourth-most played series in school history, behind the rivalries with Kansas (272), Missouri (233) and Nebraska (219).

The two teams have met every season for 94 years.

The Wildcats own a 134-77 advantage in the series, including a 77-24 edge in Manhattan.

K-State has won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series, including a fifth consecutive victory at Hilton Coliseum, 86-85, on Feb. 4.

It is the longest winning streak in Ames since winning six consecutive from 1972to 1977.

Senior Jacob Pullen scored eight of his team-high 21 points in the last 2:20 of the contest, including a lay-up with two seconds remaining to a snap a four-game road losing streak.