Cyclones return from break to face No. 6 Kansas

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - It's been easy to forget that Iowa State still has most of its season left.

Thanks to final exams, the holidays and a quirk in the Big 12 schedule that gave Iowa State a bye week right away, the Cyclones have played just once in 21 days - and that was on New Year's Day against Yale.

The Cyclones (10-3) have lost to the teams they were expected to lose to - No. 21 Cincinnati, No. 24 UNLV and Iowa on the road - while beating everyone they were supposed to beat. But Iowa State also looked sluggish at times against weaker competition like Florida-Gulf Coast, Missouri-Kansas City and Yale.

The Cyclones have gotten away with it so far. But they won't when league plays starts Wednesday night at No. 6 Kansas (12-1).