One of the best things about rivalry games is that every time the two teams involved take the floor or take the field, both have a legitimate chance to win.
While that certainly has been true in the recent match-ups between Kansas and Iowa State, a quick look back at their last 20 meetings shows that this series has been incredibly lopsided for one that many believe has developed into a solid rivalry.
Maybe it’s because Missouri left the Big 12 and the Jayhawks are in need of a replacement. Maybe it’s because the KU-K-State rivalry has not been real intense or exciting. Or maybe it’s because a few of the most recent KU-ISU match-ups have been full of crazy drama and included a few overtime thrillers.
Either way, a lot of people want to paint this as KU’s next great rivalry. In fact, on Tuesday, KU big man Landen Lucas was asked if the Cyclones had become a chief rival for the Jayhawks. His answer?
“I think so, yeah,” he said. “Whenever you’ve got a talented team that gives you a good game every time, it slowly becomes a rival. It’s exciting. And we always look for something like that and I think Iowa State’s definitely becoming something like that.”
Something like that, maybe. But a true rival? Not yet.
In the last 20 meetings between these two, the Jayhawks own an 18-2 record and have won those 18 games by an average score of 84-70. In the two games that Iowa State won during that stretch — 72-64 on Jan. 28, 2012 and 63-61 in OT on Feb. 19, 2005 in Lawrence — the average margin of victory was just five points.
There certainly is more to a rivalry than the final scores, but until the Cyclones can tip the scales of victory a little more in their favor, this potentially developing rivalry figures to continue to crawl along at a snail’s pace.
The Jayhawks and Cyclones will get after it again at 8 p.m. tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.
As always, we’ll have all kinds of live game coverage before, during and after the game, so be sure to stick with KUSports.com throughout the day and night.
While you wait for tip-off, here’s a quick look back at those last 20 meetings:
**2013-14:**
Jan. 13 @ Ames – KU 77, ISU 70
Jan. 29 @ AFH – ?????
**2012-13:**
Jan. 9 @ AFH – KU 97, ISU 89, OT
Feb. 25 @ Ames – KU 108, ISU 96, OT
March 15 @ KC – KU 88, ISU 73
**2011-12:**
Jan. 14 @ AFH – KU 82, ISU 73
Jan. 28 @ Ames – ISU 72, KU 64
**2010-11:**
Jan. 12 @ Ames – KU 84, ISU 79
Feb. 12 @ AFH – KU 89, ISU 66
**2009-10:**
Jan. 23 @ Ames – KU 84, ISU 61
Feb. 13 @ AFH – KU 73, ISU 59
**2008-09:**
Jan. 24 @ Ames – KU 82, ISU 67
Feb. 18 @ AFH – KU 72, ISU 55
**2007-08:**
Jan. 23 @ AFH – KU 83, ISU 59
Feb. 27 @ Ames – KU 75, ISU 64
**2006-07:**
Jan. 13 @ Ames – KU 68, ISU 64, OT
Feb. 24 @ AFH – KU 89, ISU 52
**2005-06:**
Jan. 28 @ Ames – KU 95, ISU 85
Feb. 11 @ AFH – KU 88, ISU 75
**2004-05:**
Jan. 12 @ Ames – KU 71, ISU 66
Feb. 19 @ AFH – ISU 63, KU 61, OT
