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Monday’s Pregame Shootaround: Oklahoma State does battle with Iowa State

Matt Thomas, Naz Long

Iowa State guard Matt Thomas, left, celebrates with teammate Naz Long (15) after making a 3-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas State, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

AP

GAME OF THE NIGHT: No. 16 Iowa State at No. 19 Oklahoma State, 9:00 p.m.

Iowa State hasn’t beaten anyone on the road since ... Fred Hoiberg was still a Timberwolf? That’s an exaggeration, I know, but the Cyclones have a great chance at notching a road win tonight as the Cyclones pay a visit to Stillwater where the Cowboys are disintegrating. Marcus Smart is currently living in Struggle City, Stevie Clark has been kicked off the team and the Pokes have lost three of their last four. All of a sudden, this has become a huge game in the Big 12 standings as neither team wants to drop to 4-5 in league play.

THE OTHER GAME OF THE NIGHT: Xavier at No. 6 Villanova, 7:00 p.m.

Xavier really needs to pick up a win over Villanova tonight. The Musketeers are currently sitting at 5-3 in the Big East, but they’ve lost their last two games to Providence and Seton Hall. With an RPI of 47 and a win over Cincinnati the only thing on their resume keeping them relevant, this will be the Musketeers best potential win the rest of the season.

WHO’S GETTING UPSET?: Notre Dame at No. 1 Syracuse, 7:00 p.m.

The last time that Syracuse was ranked No. 1 in the country, it was 2012 and the Orange were undefeated. Their first game as the No. 1 team in the country that season? Against Notre Dame. Who beat them. Sound familiar?

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR:

1) Georgetown knocked off Michigan State at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. Will that turn their season around? They visit DePaul tonight.

2) Delaware is still without two starters, but they’re also 8-0 in the CAA. The Blue Hens will host Northeastern.

3) Ron Hunter’s Georgia State team is still undefeated in the Sun Belt and have finally started to look like the team we all expected them to be in the preseason. They’ll get a visit from South Alabama in a game that was supposed to be played Thursday.

4) Grambling hasn’t beaten a Division I team since March of 2012. They’ll visit Mississippi Valley State tonight.

5) Big Sky rivalries anyone? Montana plays Montana State.

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