The Preview You Must View: Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa State Cyclones

The battle for state subordination is on the line tonight as the Iowa St. Cyclones host the Iowa Hawkeyes at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

Both the Hawkeyes and Cyclones have lost to the Northern Iowa Panthers (ISU at home by 6, Iowa on the road by 20), while ISU has also dropped one to the Drake Bulldogs, with Iowa's matchup against the Des Moines, IA school next on the schedule.

The home team is clearly better that their host. Though ISU (6-3) in 0fer the state, their talent level is unquestionably apparent. It is the gelling of a bunch of transfers that is limiting their progress.

And three of the transfers have knowledge with Iowa. Chris Babb and Chris Allen played against the Hawkeyes as members Big 10 schools while Royce White, another Big 10 transfer, never saw any action against the Hawkeyes. Combined Allen and Babb are 6-3 against the Hawkeyes, Allen 5-1 with really good Michigan State team, while Babb was 1-2 with poor Penn State squads.

Truthfully, ISU should run their brother out of the gymnasium. Iowa has one scorer, Matt Gatens, and he is really their only leading man because nobody else has stepped up. ISU has the three aforementioned transfers, plus JUCO transfer Tyrus McGee, sharpshooting Scott Christopherson and slumping Melvin Ejim. They simply have too much talent to let this one slip through their hands.

The game tips tonight at 7 p.m. CST and can be found on ESPN3.