Peterson: Iowa State basketball sent a big-time message against No. 2 Houston
AMES – Don’t look now, but you just might be able to add Iowa State to the Big 12 Conference title conversation.
Sure, it’s just the second week of January. Sure, there are 16 games remaining against opponents in the nation’s best league and sure, T.J. Otzelberger can’t pack the Cyclone-Strong Hilton Coliseum crowd in his travel bag for road trips.
But what the heck, his team not only made a huge Big 12 statement with its 57-53 victory against second-ranked Houston, at the end of a very snowy and windy Iowa Tuesday, but they put the nation’s college basketball world on alert, too.
More: Milan Momcilovic delivers game-winner for Iowa State basketball vs. No. 2 Houston
“I don’t know that we were trying to send any message,” Otzelberger said. “We were just trying to play well and get the win."
Mission accomplished.
I asked Tamin Lipsey, who scored 14 points and made two huge late free throws and was a defensive instigator oh so many times, just what message was sent against a team that came to our winter wonderland as the nation’s only unbeaten?
“We’re a great team,” the sophomore from Ames, said. “Not to doubt us. We’re a young team. We’re learning every game. We’re going to come out and fight every game, no matter who we’re playing, (and) no matter where we’re playing. Just don’t doubt us."
If Iowa State plays the kind of defense it played against Kelvin Sampson’s team, then Otzelberger's third season is shaping up to be something to keep an eye on.
His team was more physical – making and shooting 10 more free throws than the opponent, much to Sampson’s postgame consternation. His team beat a blue-blood type that played in the Final Four three years ago, the Elite Eight two seasons ago, and in the Sweet 16 last season.
His team led for nearly 37 minutes against an opponent that spent seven weeks atop the AP poll last season.
Hilton’s magic was on full display to an ESPN2 audience and the hearty fans who braved Iowa’s roadways – despite law enforcement urging not to drive in some parts of our snow-covered state.
“I was happy for our fan base,” the coach said. “I was happy for our players. I’m happy for all those that have come before us — that have worn this jersey.
“Happy for our administration and everybody. You don’t win games like that if you don’t have all hands on deck. The great part about being a Cyclone is that everybody’s hands are on deck. You see that in a blizzard when people come out.”
Again, accurate on all accounts.
While the program’s highest-ranked win at home since beating top-ranked Oklahoma in 2016 truly defined the team-effort cliché, the 6-foot-8 Momcilovic provided the dagger.
His perfect spin move away from the double-team. step-back move was the difference on the scoreboard in this game, a swisher from 15 feet along the baseline over a shorter defender, with 31 seconds to play that broke a 53-all tie.
“Not to be cocky, but big-time players make big-time shots,” Momcilovic said.
Cocky?
Big time.
Big shot.
The true freshman is just being honest, man. He’s a big-time player.
More: A look back at each of Iowa State basketball's wins over top-10 teams in last five seasons
“It means a lot,” he told us of a shot about which all little kids dream of making. “It’s cool, but having it happen – that’s surreal, versus the No. 2 team in the country. That’s an amazing feeling.”
It was an amazing feeling for the fans, too, who witnessed what Otzelberger and his staff see daily in practice. That’s right, wins like this just don’t happen, and to be quite honest, there were many, many instances that showed just who was the most dominant team on the floor Tuesday – especially when the Cyclones raced out to a 14-0 lead.
“Our guys were the more aggressive team," Otzelberger said. "We played more physical. We were the more resilient team. We made more plays."
On this night, again, he was right.
“We have all the respect in the world for their program. and what they’ve done, but nobody’s going to come in here and push us around,” he continued “Nobody’s going to come in here and bully us...“
The head coach was just getting warmed up during this emotional part of his press conference when his eyes started to become watery.
“Not real happy being the underdog, not that we follow that sort of thing,” he said, “but nobody’s going to call us an underdog at Hilton Coliseum.”
Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson is in his 51st 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: Peterson: Iowa State basketball sent a message with win over Houston
