AMES, Iowa — Last week, the Big 12 announced the matchups for the 2024-25 season. For the first time, teams will play a 20 game conference schedule.
Schools will play five teams home and away while playing the other 10 just once.
This season, Iowa State will play Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State and UCF both home and away.
Their home-only opponents include; Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, TCU and Utah. Their away-only opponents are; Arizona State, Houston, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
"I feel like no matter what, the schedule gonna be hard," said fifth-year senior guard Curtis Jones. "I look forward to it again. You know, I think playing in the big 12 was fun last year. Like every game, it's a grind, even when you're playing maybe a team whose record ain't the best."
Two of the four new Big 12 teams, Arizona and Colorado, made the NCAA Tournament last season. They join the seven returning teams that earned a bid in 2023-24.
"So much respect for our conference and the other teams," said head coach T.J. Otzelberger. "I know that some look at it and say, 'well, this is going to be the good game, or the more meaningful game,' and what I've learned in this league is every game is really difficult, and you got to be prepared, and so we're just going to work hard to be ready to do that."
The non-conference schedule also appears more challenging. Iowa State will be one of the seven teams in the Maui Invitational that participated in March Madness. The annual Cy-Hawk game is in Iowa City and Iowa State will welcome in a perennial Top 25 Marquette team to Ames for the Big 12/Big East Challenge.
"A very challenging schedule," Otzelberger said. "We need to be ready. Not that we don't every single night in the past, but this year's schedule really presents a lot of really good teams."
The Cyclones open up the season on Nov. 4 against Mississippi Valley State at Hilton Coliseum.