One of the winningest programs in NCAA men’s college basketball hasn’t been a shining light of excellence this season. But as the seventh-seed, they have the unique opportunity to become a Cinderella story as a powerhouse program.
Standing in their way during the second-round, though, is going to be the two-seeded Iowa State Cyclones. With a chance to qualify for the Round of 16 hanging in the balance, here’s how fans can tune in to the all-important second round clash.
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Iowa State Cyclones
Date: March 22
Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
Streaming Details: Taking place at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, the game will be airing live on CBS, while also being available for streaming on the Fubo platform.
The road for the Wildcats to get to this point has already been arduous. An overtime thriller against Santa Clara was necessary in the first round for them to squeak out an 89-84 victory.
Led by a 35-point explosion from the team leader in scoring, Otega Oweh, they were able to sneak past the Broncos.
However, the Cyclones present a wholly different challenge.
One of the most consistent and well-rounded teams, particularly with their three-headed monster at the top, Iowa State can stand toe to toe with the best of them. Their dominance was on full display in the first round as they handily took care of Tennessee State.
A hyper-efficient 25 points from Killyan Toure allowed Milan Momcilovic to contribute 17 points, even as they lost their second leading scorer, Joshua Jefferson, who exited the game in just three minutes with a sprained ankle.
Right now, he is unlikely to play against the Wildcats, but the Cyclones are keeping their options open. “Right now we’re continuing to evaluate,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “It appears unlikely but you never want to rule out anything. We’ll just continue to do what we can in his best interest and we’ll be prepared to go either way.”
Jefferson, on his end, has made it clear that he’s trying to rehab as much as possible. But with the timing of the injury and the tournament schedule, time is not going to be his friend.
His absence could open the door for Kentucky to make a major upset in the tournament. However, even without their star forward, the Iowa State lineup has a ton of depth, with players like Toure capable of stepping up in key moments.
