4 years in the past, T.J. Otzelberger inherited an Iowa State basketball program coming off a 2-22 season, together with 0-18 within the Huge 12. However the 47-year-old head coach has not solely shortly restored hope in Ames. He has put Iowa State in maybe the perfect place in this system’s historical past.
In his first season, Otzelberger led the Cyclones to a 22-13 file and the Candy 16 as an 11-seed. Final season, Iowa State gained 29 video games — the second-most wins in a season in program historical past — and earned its first Huge 12 Match title since 2019.
The momentum has carried over to this season for the Cyclones, who’re 15-1 and ranked No. 2 within the AP High 25 — the very best rating in class historical past — heading into Saturday’s convention recreation at West Virginia (12-4, 8-1).
Otzelberger has constructed a formidable squad that thrives on offensive effectivity and defensive strain. The numbers converse volumes, because the Cyclones top the Big 12 in factors per recreation (85.4), fastbreak factors per recreation (14.8) and field-goal share (49.53%).
Defensively, the Cyclones excel in inflicting chaos, forcing 15.81 turnovers per recreation, the most in the Big 12, in addition to by limiting their very own errors (10.1 turnovers per recreation). The turnover margin of 5.7 locations them seventh nationally. Otzelberger’s calculated model of basketball provides Iowa State a scoring margin of 20 factors per recreation — the fourth-highest average margin of victory in school basketball.
Nonetheless, maybe essentially the most putting side of this yr’s workforce is the success of the workforce’s depth. In Wednesday’s matchup towards No. 9 Kansas, the Cyclones confronted a tricky blow when beginning ahead Milan Momcilovic suffered an injury to his left hand in apply. Undeterred, Iowa State blew out Kansas, 74-57.
“I believe it’s the perfect workforce that T.J. has had,” Kansas coach Invoice Self stated earlier than the rout, per KUsports.com.
