Both Iowa and Iowa State helped their NCAA Tournament cases last week by going 2-0. Each team enters this week on a four-game winning streak, but tougher games await later this month.Video above: From the archives: Hilton Magic on full display for Iowa State’s 2001 game vs. KansasHere’s where each team stands as the calendar flips to February.Iowa State NCAA Tournament resume, projectionsProjectionsCBS: No. 1 seed (South Region)ESPN: No. 2 seed (Midwest Region; St. Louis)The Athletic: No. 2 seed (Midwest Region; St. Louis)ResumeRecord: 20-2 (7-2 in Big 12 play)NET: No. 4KenPom: No. 4Wins Above Bubble: No. 9These are just some of the factors the NCAA Tournament committee considers. For Iowa State’s full team sheet, click here.Iowa State’s resume keeps improving. The Cyclones have won four in a row, and only one of those wins came by fewer than 30 points. Iowa State is now in the top five of each of the NCAA Tournament committee’s three predictive metrics and in the top 10 of each result-based metric. The question now: can Iowa State climb to a No. 1 seed?The CBS experts say yes. CBS has Iowa State as the final No. 1 seed, surpassing UConn.Iowa State has plenty of opportunities for big wins. ISU still hosts ranked teams such as Kansas, Houston and Texas Tech, along with road trips to BYU and Arizona. Adding a few more signature wins, combined with the team’s great record and strong metrics, would give the Cyclones a legitimate case for a top seed.Iowa State is still battling teams such as Kansas, Purdue and Illinois for a chance to play in St. Louis for the first two rounds. No more than two of the top 16 overall seeds (seeds Nos. 1-4 in each region) can go to the same city for the first weekend. As of early February, most prognosticators have Iowa State and Illinois taking the two St. Louis spots.Up next: Iowa State is unlikely to see much movement in any new projections this week. The Cyclones are off during the week before hosting Baylor on Saturday. A home win over Baylor would currently be a Quadrant 2 victory for the Cyclones.Iowa NCAA Tournament resume, projectionsProjectionsCBS: No. 7 seed (South Region)ESPN: No. 8 seed (West Region; San Diego)The Athletic: No. 8 seed (South Region; Philadelphia)ResumeRecord: 16-5 (6-4 in Big Ten play)NET: No. 19KenPom: No. 19Wins Above Bubble: No. 30These are just some of the factors the NCAA Tournament committee considers. For Iowa’s full team sheet, click here.Iowa’s metrics paint two different pictures. The Hawkeyes are in the top 2o in two of the committee’s three predictive metrics, while they are No. 3o or worse in all three results-based metrics.With strong predictive metrics and a 16-5 record, Iowa is in a great spot to make the field on Selection Sunday. But a lack of big wins — for now — put a ceiling on Iowa’s seeding. The struggles among teams in the bottom tier of the Big Ten haven’t helped Iowa. Iowa’s win over Maryland earlier this season is a Quadrant 4 game — the same category as Iowa’s games against Western Illinois, Chicago State and Bucknell. The win over Rutgers isn’t much better, clocking in as a Quadrant 3 victory.At just 1-4 in Quadrant 1 games, Iowa’s resume would get a big boost from adding a couple of signature wins. The Hawkeyes will have chances to add those: home games against Purdue, Nebraska and Michigan all fall under the Quadrant 1 umbrella, while road trips at Washington, Wisconsin and Nebraska check that box, too. Up next: Iowa has a Quadrant 1 opportunity Wednesday night at Washington and a Quadrant 2 game at home against Northwestern on Sunday.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
Both Iowa and Iowa State helped their NCAA Tournament cases last week by going 2-0. Each team enters this week on a four-game winning streak, but tougher games await later this month.
Video above: From the archives: Hilton Magic on full display for Iowa State’s 2001 game vs. Kansas
Here’s where each team stands as the calendar flips to February.
Iowa State NCAA Tournament resume, projections
Projections
- CBS: No. 1 seed (South Region)
- ESPN: No. 2 seed (Midwest Region; St. Louis)
- The Athletic: No. 2 seed (Midwest Region; St. Louis)
Resume
- Record: 20-2 (7-2 in Big 12 play)
- NET: No. 4
- KenPom: No. 4
- Wins Above Bubble: No. 9
These are just some of the factors the NCAA Tournament committee considers. For Iowa State’s full team sheet, click here.
Iowa State’s resume keeps improving. The Cyclones have won four in a row, and only one of those wins came by fewer than 30 points. Iowa State is now in the top five of each of the NCAA Tournament committee’s three predictive metrics and in the top 10 of each result-based metric.
The question now: can Iowa State climb to a No. 1 seed?
The CBS experts say yes. CBS has Iowa State as the final No. 1 seed, surpassing UConn.
Iowa State has plenty of opportunities for big wins. ISU still hosts ranked teams such as Kansas, Houston and Texas Tech, along with road trips to BYU and Arizona. Adding a few more signature wins, combined with the team’s great record and strong metrics, would give the Cyclones a legitimate case for a top seed.
Iowa State is still battling teams such as Kansas, Purdue and Illinois for a chance to play in St. Louis for the first two rounds. No more than two of the top 16 overall seeds (seeds Nos. 1-4 in each region) can go to the same city for the first weekend. As of early February, most prognosticators have Iowa State and Illinois taking the two St. Louis spots.
Up next: Iowa State is unlikely to see much movement in any new projections this week. The Cyclones are off during the week before hosting Baylor on Saturday. A home win over Baylor would currently be a Quadrant 2 victory for the Cyclones.
Iowa NCAA Tournament resume, projections
Projections
- CBS: No. 7 seed (South Region)
- ESPN: No. 8 seed (West Region; San Diego)
- The Athletic: No. 8 seed (South Region; Philadelphia)
Resume
- Record: 16-5 (6-4 in Big Ten play)
- NET: No. 19
- KenPom: No. 19
- Wins Above Bubble: No. 30
These are just some of the factors the NCAA Tournament committee considers. For Iowa’s full team sheet, click here.
Iowa’s metrics paint two different pictures. The Hawkeyes are in the top 2o in two of the committee’s three predictive metrics, while they are No. 3o or worse in all three results-based metrics.
With strong predictive metrics and a 16-5 record, Iowa is in a great spot to make the field on Selection Sunday. But a lack of big wins — for now — put a ceiling on Iowa’s seeding.
The struggles among teams in the bottom tier of the Big Ten haven’t helped Iowa. Iowa’s win over Maryland earlier this season is a Quadrant 4 game — the same category as Iowa’s games against Western Illinois, Chicago State and Bucknell. The win over Rutgers isn’t much better, clocking in as a Quadrant 3 victory.
At just 1-4 in Quadrant 1 games, Iowa’s resume would get a big boost from adding a couple of signature wins. The Hawkeyes will have chances to add those: home games against Purdue, Nebraska and Michigan all fall under the Quadrant 1 umbrella, while road trips at Washington, Wisconsin and Nebraska check that box, too.
Up next: Iowa has a Quadrant 1 opportunity Wednesday night at Washington and a Quadrant 2 game at home against Northwestern on Sunday.
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