Baylor’s James Akinjo looks for an open pass while Iowa State’s Tre Jackson defends on Saturday Jan. 1, 2022, at Hilton Coliseum, in Ames. The Cyclones fell to the Bears 77-72. Kelsey Kremer-USA TODAY Sports
AMES, Iowa — I am not a big believer that No. 8 Iowa State had a lot to prove on Saturday vs. No. 1 Baylor. The previously 12-0 Cyclones had earned their national ranking.
Win or lose vs. the Bears, Iowa State’s real test will come over the next few weeks during the Big 12 gauntlet that will feature two of these types of boxing matches per week until March.
Scott Drew’s Bears – the defending national champions – are the best team in college basketball and they proved it on Saturday. The way Baylor played offensively in a 77-72 win over the Cyclones was impressive enough for me to think the following upon leaving a snowy Hilton on New Years Day.
“That Baylor team is one of the best teams I have ever seen in this building.”
I’ve seen more talented groups, but Baylor is a unique monster. The brutal Bears present an onslaught of alphas who beat the hell out of you and seemingly make shots for 40 minutes straight. It’s maddening to play against and exactly what Iowa State wants to be sometime soon.
So props to them.
For what it’s worth, Iowa State’s KenPom ranking actually improved by three spots after losing its first game of the season vs. Baylor.
……..
I saw something following the game that I’m sure has happened before, but I don’t know that I have ever taken the time to care about or witness. Iowa State’s crowd gave the players a standing ovation as they walked off the floor – after a loss.
They earned it.
5 — Iowa State will be in every game this season.
Nothing that we didn’t already know.
Iowa State’s defense is going to keep it in games vs. the best of the best all year long. The difference in wins and losses will often come down to the play of the offense. If you’re good to great offensively, you will win most of those games. If average on offense, that’s a toss-up. Play poorly offensively and you’ll often lose but will still have a chance thanks to the defense.
That was the case on Saturday vs. Baylor.
Iowa State played really solid defense against the Bears. Baylor hit a bunch of difficult shots and while Iowa State’s defensive pressure wasn’t perfect (T.J. Otzleberger discussed this after the game), the Cyclones still forced 19 Baylor turnovers.
Iowa State just missed too many open shots.
Even so, that’s an effort that probably would have resulted in a win against any other team in the Big 12.
Onward.
4 — The offense struggled vs. Baylor’s length.
Iowa State missed a handful of what looked like bunnies that I’m guessing were greatly impacted by Baylor’s mere presence. That’s in addition to going 1-of-14 from 3-point range (which will hopefully be Iowa State’s worst mark during the conference slate).
The 3-point stat is really the only eyesore you will find in this box score. Baylor was 7-of-17 from deep, compared to Iowa State’s paltry seven percent mark.
Tough to pull off an upset under that scenario.
3 — It’s going to be difficult to sit Izaiah Brockington much this season. And a tip of the cap to Tristan Enaruna.
Iowa State guards not named Izaiah Brockington combined to go 6-for-20 from the field on and 1-of-11 from three.
Izaiah Brockington was not phased by Baylor in the slightest. In fact, he thrived. Brockington went 5-for-10 with 18 points with eight rebounds in 36 minutes. He has to get more help in the backcourt though, and he will.
Caleb Grill won’t go 1-for-6 very often.
Tyrese Hunter is 1-for-23 from three dating back to the Memphis game.
Some of these shots have to start falling, right?
A big plus offensively is the play of Tristan Enaruna. He’s played the best two games of his career the last two times out and led Iowa State in scoring vs. Baylor with 23 points going 8-of-11 from the field.
2 — Iowa State needs more out of Gabe Kalscheur offensively.
This is a tough one for T.J. Otzelberger.
The identity of Iowa State’s team is toughness and relentless perimeter defense. Gabe Kalscheur brings both constantly, even when he isn’t hitting shots.
However, this is still basketball and you have to score points to win.
Kalscheur is becoming a problem on the offensive end. Against Baylor, he was a liability.
Zero points (0-2), six turnovers and five fouls was the final stat line.
There was a possession in the first half – right before the 16 and under media timeout – where Kalscheur missed a wide-open three from the left-wing. Brockington secured an impressive offensive rebound, kicked it back out to Gabe for a second look. Clank. And neither was close.
Kalscheur never attempted another field goal.
This is the same guy who scored 30 vs. Memphis in November.

1 — This is just the start.
I talked about this a little bit during the pregame.
Baylor wasn’t the big test for Iowa State. That comes over the next two weeks when you start to participate in these bloody Big 12 bouts every three days or so.
Iowa State will see another top 25 squad, Texas Tech, on Wednesday at 8 p.m.