AMES – Past things first, before plunging ahead to Iowa State’s 6 p.m. Tuesday men’s basketball game at Big 12 newcomer Cincinnati.
Seven times after the Cyclones’ victory against TCU on Saturday, Horned Frogs coach Jamie Dixon used the phrase “new world.” His words repetition started when asked about Iowa State’s quick turnaround under T.J. Otzelberger and his staff – after inheriting a program that was coming off the worst record in school history. Otzelberger has led the Cyclones to two NCAA Tournaments in as many years.
“We’re in a whole new world,” Dixon said during his long answer. “Just go pay money and go get guys. That’s what it is. Transfers. It’s a new world. New world.”
New world, indeed, but it’s not like Iowa State was the only team with transfer starters (three) Saturday. All of TCU’s starters Saturday began their careers elsewhere.
More: Peterson: The motto for Iowa State basketball is – If you don’t play defense, you don’t play
Emmanuel Miller transferred to the Horned Frogs from Texas A&M. Avery Anderson started out at Oklahoma State. Trey Tennyson had stops at Central Connecticut and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before enrolling at TCU. Ernest Udeh played as a freshman at Kansas. Micah Peavy transferred from Texas Tech.
Anyhow …
During his curious comment, Dixon praised Otzelberger, too, and his point guard, Tamin Lipsey, a true Cyclone who prepped at Ames High School.
“He’s a heck of a coach in a place that’s hard (for opponents) to play, with all kinds of resources and fans,” he said. “They’ve got highly rated recruits. It helped that the guy (Lipsey) … lives down the street. That helps. He’s a heck of a player. Really good. I’ll give him credit for that, I guess.
“He’s a heck of a coach. They’ve got really good players. But we’re in a whole new world now. …
“We’ve got transfers. It’s not like you develop a guy. (Keshon Gilbert) has killed us twice. He killed us last game. Really good player from UNLV, and now he’s here. That’s not what was going on back in the day.
“All of us have transfers. Different world. Reload. You’ve got to be ready. This league is good.”
Again, Dixon was answering a question about Iowa State’s immediate turnaround – from 2-22 one season to consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and now in the conference title conversation at the midway point of Otzelberger’s third season.
I hit up the Register’s Iowa State text group for the first time in a while, asking for their thoughts on a team that’s 7-3 in the Big 12 and 18-5 overall heading into Tuesday’s game at 4-6, 15-8 Cincinnati.
More: Join Randy Peterson’s Iowa State Cyclones text-message group
Text-group question: What does Iowa State need to do to keep the mojo going?
Peterson: Continue being the most physical and best defensive team on the floor. That’s where it starts, and that’s especially important Tuesday night.
Cincinnati is second in the Big 12 in rebounds against conference opponents, which means it’s critical that the Cyclones – all of them – bring their A-games.
More: Iowa State basketball locks up TCU to stay undefeated at Hilton Coliseum
At Iowa State, rebounding is a team thing. Lipsey, for example, averages five rebounds a game, and Gilbert averages 4.7. That’s almost 10 rebounds a game from the Cyclones’ primary ball-handlers.
Furthermore, Iowa State’s defense, the best in many years at the school, can’t have a letdown. It must show who’s the boss from the game’s first possession.
Seven games in a row, opponents have had empty possessions on their first attempt at the hoop: an air ball, Lipsey steals in two games, Rob Jones blocking Hunter Dickinson’s shot against Kansas, Rob Jones’ steal, Curtis Jones’ steal and a missed shot.
As TCU’s Dixon said after Saturday’s game at Hilton Coliseum:
“They knocked us all over the place.”
What about Iowa State starting an NCAA Tournament run in Omaha?
Uh, what about just making it through the day? There’s lots that can and will happen before Selection Sunday on March 17.
The text-group member was referring to preferential seeding that sometimes goes along with being a top-four seed, and by the way the first “Top 16 reveal” is at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 17. It’s where the committee has the teams ranked at the time of the reveal. That list will undoubtedly change before the official field of 68 is released.
In Iowa State’s case, yes, there’s a first- and second-round site in Omaha. The team and its fans certainly would benefit from being placed there. Wisconsin and Marquette could be in contention for the few preferred Omaha regional assignments, as well.
Of the top four or five Big 12 title contenders, who has the toughest and easiest remaining schedules?
Good question, assuming the current four or five title contenders are still contenders at the end.
First, here are the conference records as of Monday morning:
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Houston 8-3
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Iowa State 7-3
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Kansas 7-4
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Baylor 6-4
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Texas Tech 6-4
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Oklahoma 6-4
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BYU 5-5
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TCU 5-5
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Texas 5-6
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Kansas State 5-6
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Cincinnati 4-6
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UCF 4-6
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West Virginia 3-7
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Oklahoma State 2-9
Here are the top five teams’ remaining schedules:
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Houston: vs. Texas, vs. Iowa State, at Baylor, vs. Cincinnati, at Oklahoma, at UCF, vs. Kansas
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Iowa State: at Cincinnati, vs. Texas Tech, at Houston, vs. West Virginia, vs. Oklahoma, at UCF, vs. BYU, at Kansas State
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Kansas: at Texas Tech, at Oklahoma, vs. Texas, vs BYU, at Baylor, vs. Kansas State, at Houston
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Baylor: vs. Oklahoma, at West Virginia, at BYU, vs. Houston, at TCU, vs. Kansas, vs. Texas, at Texas Tech
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Texas Tech: vs. Kansas, at Iowa State, vs TCU, at UCF, vs. Texas, at West Virginia, at Oklahoma State, vs. Baylor
According to teamrankings.com, Kansas has the toughest remaining schedule in the nation. Rounding out the top 10 are Oklahoma, Houston, Baylor, Texas, Marquette, Iowa State, Iowa, Connecticut and Michigan.
If the Cyclones can hold home court, the bumps in the road come at Houston and K-State. They will be fine.
Under that scenario, you’ve got Iowa State going 13-5 in the Big 12 and 24-7 overall. That’d likely mean a first-round assignment in Omaha, and a No. 1 or 2 seed in Thursday’s March 14 quarterfinal round in the Big 12 Tournament.
Remember, 14 teams in the conference this season. The top four receive byes to the quarterfinals.And let’s not forget what Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said after losing in Ames:
On this topic, he’s probably right.
Gilbert and Curtis Jones are playing better than they played during the non-con season. Their contributions are big reasons for success.
You’re spot-on.
Gilbert is averaging 16.1 points over the last seven games during which the Cyclones have gone 5-2. Jones is averaging 14.7 while the Cyclones have won five of the past six games.
Their contributions have been very significant, but let’s not forget Hason Ward, Demarion Watson and Jackson Paveletzke. They’ve had major moments, too.
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 52nd year writing sports for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at rpeterson@dmreg.com, on X @RandyPete, and at DesMoinesRegister.com/CyclonesTexts
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball can’t afford a defensive letdown at Cincinnati
