Iowa State basketball turns page from one championship to try to win another
Travis HinesAMES – Iowa State basketball has seen the path diverge in both directions.
The Cyclones have seen Big 12 Tournament champions go on to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and the Cyclones have seen conference tourney champs bounced in the first round.
The latest Iowa State team to cut down nets in Kansas City is determined to keep playing for a while.
“We work hard to build the mindset of staying in the moment, focus on what’s coming next,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said about 23 hours after beating No. 1 Houston by 28 points in the Big 12 Tournament title game. “Confident in our guys’ ability to do that.
“Obviously there’s a lot going on. You win a championship, and now you’re on a bus ride home and now you're quickly on to the next thing. I’m sure that our guys are excited for what’s coming.”
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Iowa State’s quick turn begins Thursday, when the East Region’s second-seeded Cyclones face No. 15 South Dakota State in Omaha.
“It was cool, and we got to celebrate and enjoy winning the Big 12 championship yesterday,” senior Tre King said, “but we know now who we’re playing and that we’ve got to get back to business.
“We’re definitely all excited and ready to get after it.”
The Jackrabbits offer a familiar foe with Otzelberger being the head coach in Brookings for three seasons and then handing the program off to his assistant and current head coach, Eric Henderson.
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South Dakota State ended the season with eight straight wins. They possess a dangerous offense that was 50th nationally in 3-point shooting (36.2%) and 18th in 2-point percentage (55.9%).
They are led by Zeke Mayo, who was named the Summit League Player of the Year after averaging 18.8 points while shooting 38.6 percent from 3-point range. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
“Really good team,” Otzelberger said. “They’ve got veteran guards who can really score the ball. They’re an older group, which this time of the year is something that usually comes in handy.”
While Brookings, S.D. is just over a three-hour drive to Omaha, Jackrabbit fans figure to be significantly outnumbered by a Cyclone fanbase who just invaded Kansas City and will only have a two-hour drive from central Iowa.
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“The fan base was off the charts (for the Big 12 Tournament),” Otzelberger said. “(Saturday) night was amazing. The support that we had, the energy and enthusiasm we had was tremendous. It’s very humbling, and hopeful we’ll have a big crowd again come Thursday when we’re in Omaha.”
The weekend at T-Mobile Center certainly gave Iowa State’s players an idea of the near-homecourt advantage they’ll likely have at CHI Health Center just across the Missouri River.
“We know it’s going to be a fun environment,” King said. “It’s going to be a fun game. We're just champing at the bit to get ready and get going.”
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The task ahead is South Dakota State – and potentially Washington State or Drake next – but it is also conquering the emotions of winning a championship Saturday and starting over Thursday.
Iowa State had teams in 2000 and 2014 accomplish that feat. The Cyclones had teams in 2015 and 2019 that didn’t.
“We feel like through the course of the year how we do everything puts us in position to do that,” Otzelberger said. “It’s nothing more than saying this is what we’ll improve on today, where we’ll make strides and have progress, and do the job that needs to be done.
“Our guys know what’s at stake.”
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 on X at @TravisHines21.