AMES – The big-picture implications Wednesday are clear.
The sixth-ranked Iowa State men’s basketball team has the opportunity to complete the fifth undefeated home season in school history, continue to fortify its NCAA Tournament resume and put itself in position to potentially claim a Big 12 title on the regular season’s final day.
It’s those accomplishments and possibilities that will take center stage when the Cyclones tip off against No. 23 BYU (8 p.m.; ESPN2) at Hilton Coliseum.
There also, though, will be a recognition of some of those who have made it happen.
“It’s a special moment,” Robert Jones, one of four Cyclones being recognized on senior night, said. “Coming here was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. Playing under T.J. (Otzelberger), playing for Iowa State and being surrounded by a great fanbase, I’m super honored to be a part of these teams.”
Jones is one of a quartet of players who will be honored, including Curtis Jones, Tre King and Hason Ward. Curtis Jones could return for an additional year due to the COVID-19 waiver in the 2020-21 season.
Robert Jones is the last member of Otzelberger’s first 2021-22 team, and he’ll be playing in his third NCAA Tournament.
“I take a lot of pride in that,” he said. “That’s your dream as a kid. Growing up, you see those kind of games, those March Madness games.
“You go to college, and you want to play in those games.”
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Those games loom for the Cyclones (23-6, 12-4 Big 12), but first come the Cougars (21-8, 9-7), who bested Iowa State by 15 in Provo in January. BYU made 13 of 35s that night, highlighting a key matchup. The Cougars shoot 50 percent of their shots from 3-point range (fourth-most in the country) while Iowa State surrenders among the most 3-point attempts in the country as a defense.
“As much as we try to keep the ball out of the paint, what’s going to be a result of that at times is more attempts from three,” Otzelberger said. “For us, if the attempts are coming because they’re not able to push in transition, they’re not able to get in the paint early, they’re not able to get offensive rebound kick-out threes, but it’s more dictated by our ability to guard the basketball, keep the ball in front of us and then force them to shoot a three later in the clock that’s contested, obviously that’s the scenario that we’re good with – where we dictate the shot as opposed to them dictating.”
The Cyclones enter Wednesday projected as a top-three NCAA Tournament seed by most prognosticators, and they’re only a game behind top-ranked Houston in the Big 12 standings. They’ve won three straight despite an offense that has been sluggish recently.
“When you’re playing against somebody’s halfcourt, set defense at this time of year,” Otzelberger said, “I don’t think that’s good for anyone, regardless of how good your team is.
“You’ve got to score in transition. You’ve got to score on the offensive glass. Everybody knows personnel so well this time of the year, everybody knows what decisions to make, how to guard your actions that it just becomes finding those ways to get those extra opportunities in transition or on the glass.”
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The Cyclones will be looking for the first undefeated home record since the 2000-01 team accomplished the feat, not that they’re looking to talk about it just yet.
“We’re focused on all the details we need to be at our best on Wednesday,” Otzelberger said. “I’m going to just stay in that space.”
Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball hoping to finish undefeated at Hilton Coliseum
