Lose to Texas and this team will most likely get an 8 or 9 seed and have to face a 1 seed in the 2nd round of the Tournament. Beat Texas and make a run in the Big XII Tournament and they can most likely avoid the dreaded 8 vs 9 game.
To sum it up.... Yes... the Texas game is absolutely a do or die situation for the Cyclones. They are playing to improve their seed in the NCAA Tournament and position themselves to make a run. I would say avoiding a 2nd round matchup with Kentucky, or Syracuse, or Michigan State, etc.... would be in the Cyclones best interests.