No. 6 Iowa State faces struggling Utah amid gauntlet of ranked foes

Big 12 power Iowa State is in the midst of a stretch in which five of six opponents are nationally ranked.

Tuesday's contest against unranked Utah in Salt Lake City is supposed to be the breather.

The No. 6 Cyclones (23-4, 10-4 Big 12) are 2-1 so far on the difficult stretch after succumbing 79-69 to No. 23 BYU on Saturday night in Provo, Utah.

Iowa State began the span with a 74-56 home rout of then-No. 9 Kansas on Feb. 14 and a 70-67 home win over then-No. 2 Houston on Feb.