Iowa State basketball opens Big 12 play on New Year's Eve, but at least it's at Hilton Coliseum
Got your New Year's Eve plans decided yet? If not, here's a thought.
Fans can spend at least part of that Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, where the men’s basketball team opens the Big 12 Conference season against Baylor. Starting time for the game is still to be determined, according to the schedule revealed Friday by the Big 12.
The final Big 12 season before Cincinnati, BYU, Houston and UCF join includes an ambitious January, during which the Cyclones will play five road games — at Oklahoma on Jan. 4, at TCU on 7, at Kansas on Jan. 14, at Oklahoma State on Jan, 21, and at Texas Tech on Jan. 30.
Kansas comes to Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 4. And for fans looking forward to seeing one of last season’s top Cyclone players, conference freshman of the year Tyrese Hunter, he’ll be in town when Texas plays in Ames on Jan. 17.
Coach T.J. Otzelberger’s remarkable job last season included inheriting a program that had lost 22 games the previous season under Steve Prohm. He turned that into a 22-game winner and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 participant.
Hines: T.J. Otzelberger building future Iowa State roster in mold of Fred Hoiberg's teams
Among the players gone from last season’s team are Hunter, top scorer Izaiah Brockington and post player George Conditt.
Returnees include Gabe Kalscheur, Caleb Grill, Jaz Kunc and Robert Jones.
Iowa State’s season opens at home on Nov. 7 against IUPUI.
Iowa State’s 2022-23 schedule
Nov. 07: vs. IUPUI
Nov. 13: vs. North Carolina A&T
Nov. 20: vs. Milwaukee
Nov. 24-25, 27: Phil Knight Invitational
Nov. 30: vs. North Dakota
Dec. 04: vs. St. John’s (Big 12-Big East Battle)
Dec. 08: at Iowa
Dec. 11: vs. McNeese State
Dec. 18: vs. Western Michigan
Dec. 21: vs. Omaha
Dec. 31: Baylor, time TBA, ESPN2/ESPNU/Big 12 Now
Jan. 4: at Oklahoma, 6 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Jan. 7: at TCU, 1 p.m., ESPNU
Jan. 10: Texas Tech, 7 p.m. Big 12 Now
Jan. 14: at Kansas, 3 p.m., Big 12 Now
Jan. 17: Texas, 7 p.m., Big 12 Now
Jan. 21: at Oklahoma State, 1 p.m., Big 12 Now
Jan. 24: Kansas State, 8 p.m., ESPNU
Jan. 28: at Missouri (Big 12/SEC Challenge)
Jan. 30: at Texas Tech, 8 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2
Feb. 4: Kansas, 11 a.m., ESPN/ESPN2
Feb. 8: at West Virginia, 6 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Feb. 11: Oklahoma State, 5 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Feb. 15: TCU, 8 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Feb. 18: at Kansas State, 5 p.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Feb. 21: at Texas, 8 p.m., Longhorn Network
Feb. 25: Oklahoma, 11 a.m., ESPN2/ESPNU
Feb. 27: West Virginia, 8 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2
March 4: at Baylor, 11 a.m./1 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson embarked on his 50th year of writing sports for the Des Moines Register in December 2021. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, 515-284-8132, and on Twitter at @RandyPete.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: ISU men's basketball opens Big 12 play at home against co-champ Baylor