Michael Jacobson may have become one of the most unlikely X-factors for Iowa State over the past weekend, and it was exactly what they needed.
The Cyclones’ struggles over the past three weeks have been out in the wide open, pointing down a dark path to what seemed to be imminent collapse. Their toughness was questioned both nationally and locally, and fans became angry after a slight fall in the standings. All of the signs of cracking and breaking came to a head the week of the West Virginia game, when Iowa State had an intense practice that led to Marial Shayok missing a game with a mysterious toe injury, and Jacobson and Talen Horton-Tucker had a disagreement on the court in their loss to West Virginia.