AMES, Iowa — Kansas basketball needed the win in mid-January, when it faced Iowa State at home.
The Jayhawks had started Big 12 Conference play 1-2 and very well could have been 0-3. They were welcoming a Cyclones squad to Lawrence, Kansas, that had yet to lose this season. So much momentum could be gained by protecting home court inside Allen Fieldhouse, and that’s what KU earned on the way to an 84-63 win.
Fast forward to this past Saturday, though, and a game on the road in Ames, Iowa, and the roles seem to be reversed. It was No. 9 KU that had the momentum, amid an eight-game winning streak, and No. 4 ISU that needed to get back on track at home after a disappointing road defeat. And the the final result mirrored the previous matchup in some ways, as Iowa State left Hilton Coliseum with a 74-56 win on Feb. 14.
Here are a few takeaways from what Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger told reporters postgame, according to the press conference video on Iowa State’s website:
T.J. Otzelberger’s initial thoughts after that victory
Otzelberger said there isn’t a program or coach he has more respect for than Kansas and Bill Self, considering the longevity of success the Jayhawks (19-6, 9-3 in Big 12) have enjoyed, so he knew Iowa State had to be intentional with its preparation. Add on the recent run of success KU’s been on, and that only heightened how necessary it was that ISU was at its best. But while Otzelberger felt that preparation showed up, he also highlighted that the fans deserve an assist for their presence.
Otzelberger’s squad remained undefeated at home with this latest victory and is now 14-0 there. That’ll be tested Monday, Feb. 16 against No. 3 Houston, but KU just tried to test it itself. The challenges of the Big 12 slate continue for both teams.
T.J. Otzelberger analyzes Iowa State’s advantages in points off turnovers, second-chance points
When it came to Iowa State’s ball pressure defensively, Otzelberger simply noted his players were locked in and performed at a high level. He described them as being proactive, rather than reactive. That ISU (22-3, 9-3) led by 10 points at halftime, in Otzelberger’s mind, was because of that and the Cyclones’ ability to better capitalize on second-chance points.
By game’s end, Iowa State outscored Kansas 19-7 in points off of turnovers. ISU also out-scored KU 17-12 in second-chance points. Otzelberger added gaining extra possessions with turnovers and offensive rebounds is a winning formula for his program.
T.J. Otzelberger’s emotions watching Iowa State’s 3-point barrage early in 2nd half
Five minutes hadn’t gone by in the second half before Iowa State had already knocked down six 3s after halftime. The barrage helped the Cyclones stymie any efforts by the Jayhawks in the second half to make much of a comeback. Those 3s in that time were split between junior Milan Momcilovic’s three, senior Tamin Lipsey’s two and freshman Jamarion Batemon’s one.
Momcilovic led all scorers in the game with 18 points, and Otzelberger noted he’s been terrific all season. Otzelberger also loved how aggressive Lipsey was in the second half. Lipsey was one of five Cyclones in double figures in scoring and had 11 points.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger reacts to win vs Kansas basketball