The Cincinnati Bearcats secured a stunning 79-70 victory over the No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, marking their first home win against a top-two ranked team since 1967. Despite a valiant effort from Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic, who scored a career-high 34 points, the Bearcats held firm after leading wire-to-wire. This loss drops the Cyclones to 16-2 overall, snapping their unbeaten streak.
In a thrilling Big 12 matchup at Fifth Third Arena, the Cincinnati Bearcats (10-8, 2-3) pulled off a significant upset against the visiting No. 2 Iowa State Cyclones (16-2, 3-2). The game, played on January 17, 2026, saw Cincinnati endure eight three-pointers from Iowa State's sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic, who finished with 34 points on 8-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc. This victory is historic for the Bearcats, as it is their first home win over a top-two team since defeating Louisville on January 20, 1967, both clubs then in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Cincinnati's last top-two win overall came in March 2012, upsetting Syracuse in the Big East tournament. The Bearcats led nearly wire-to-wire, building an early 19-8 advantage with a 14-0 run fueled by three triples from Jalen Celestine. Iowa State mounted a comeback, tying the score at 38 early in the second half and later closing within five points on a 14-2 spurt where Momcilovic added 12 points. However, Cincinnati responded with a 17-3 surge earlier in the period, extending their lead to 17 points at one stage.
Key contributors for the Bearcats included Day Day Thomas with 19 points, including three threes, and Baba Miller with eight points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Jalen Celestine added 12 points off the bench with four triples, while Sencire Harris and Jizzle James scored 12 and 15 points, respectively. Iowa State struggled with 12 turnovers, leading to 20 points for Cincinnati. Both teams shot 43% from the field, but the Bearcats excelled at the free-throw line and from the bench.
For the Cyclones, Joshua Jefferson recorded 16 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while Tamin Lipsey had seven points, seven rebounds, and four assists. This marks Iowa State's second straight road loss to unranked opponents, following an 84-63 defeat to Kansas earlier in the week, ending their 16-0 start to the season. Fans stormed the court in celebration, highlighting the magnitude of the win under coach Wes Miller in his fifth season.
