By preparing for adversity, Iowa State basketball has largely avoided it
AMES – It's as much a warning as it is something of a prayer for Iowa State men’s basketball. The Cyclones repeat it countlessly. They prepare for it relentlessly. They stay vigilant ceaselessly.
Adversity, in the unmerciful Big 12, is on its way.
“We know that adversity is always coming in this league,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said, “whether it’s in a possession, in a sequence, in a half, in a game.
“The other teams and coaches are all so good, and that’s inevitable.”
Except, with three weeks left in the regular season, it hasn't shown up for this group. At least not in the way that reveals itself in the league standings.
Iowa State enters the final stretch of Big 12 play ranked 10th in the country and tied for first in the Big 12. Those accolades are thanks, in large part, to the team's ‘adversity is coming’ mantra which has allowed the Cyclones to largely sidestep the exact kind of adversity they constantly prepare for.
The Cyclones (19-5, 8-3) have avoided the losing streaks that cripple conference title runs, weaken NCAA Tournament resumes and generally make the month of February the most dangerous in college basketball.
“Our guys, for the most part to this point, have been able to keep their focus on the task at hand and what’s right in front of them,” Otzelberger, whose team hosts Texas Tech on Saturday (11 a.m.; ESPN+) said, “and when you can do that and you put all your effort and energy into the next game or the next practice, you can do OK.”
Iowa State has certainly exceeded the ‘OK’ threshold as they’ve emerged as a threat to claim their first regular season conference title since 2001. That contender status has come as this group of Cyclones has managed to steer away from the fate that momentarily derailed them the previous two years under Otzelberger.
The Cyclones lost at least back-to-back games four times in Big 12 play during Otzelberger’s debut 2021-22 season, with league losing streaks of four and three games that season.
Last season, the Cyclones saw at least two-game slides on three occasions, including a four-game skid to end February.
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The rough stretches in 2021-22 put Iowa State near the bubble as a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but that did not keep them from reaching the Sweet 16. Last year, it turned Iowa State from a Big 12 contender at 6-2 into a wounded 9-9 team heading into the NCAA Tournament, where the Cyclones were ousted in the first round after scoring just 41 points against Pitt.
This year, Iowa State hasn’t lost back-to-back games since November, when the Cyclones lost on a neutral court to Virginia Tech and Texas A&M.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead of anything because we still have seven league games to go,” said Otzelberger.
While Otzelberger’s “adversity is coming” mantra demands cautiousness, it is difficult to envision a scenario where the lengthy losing streaks that marred the last two seasons materialize this season.
Perhaps the biggest reason, beyond Iowa State proving itself over its first 24 games as one of the country’s best, is its home-court advantage. The Cyclones have been unbeatable at home this season with a perfect 14-0 record. With four games left in Ames, Hilton Coliseum is an obvious defense against an extended slide.
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Additionally, Iowa State has already conquered the most difficult stretch of its schedule. The Cyclones are tied atop the Big 12 standings despite having the second-toughest league slate, per KenPom.com, in a conference that now sports an unbalanced schedule. Iowa State is likely to be favored in every one of its remaining games, save for Monday’s showdown with co-Big 12 leaders and third-ranked Houston at the Fertitta Center.
That makes Iowa State a real Big 12 contender, despite not having a bevy of obvious NBA talent or even All-Americans. The never-ending vigilance the Cyclones preach is undoubtedly a major reason why.
“In those big moments, there’s no reason to be nervous,” senior Tre King said, “because when you look back, you see yourself putting in that time, putting in the hours and putting in the reps.
“The way we approach the work and the process, we treat every rep, every situation, every action that we guard in practice as the best one. Even in the weight room, we do a thing in the last circuit we call ‘Last set, best set.’ As a reset, a reminder to really push through, give your best at everything.
“At the end of the day, in those big moments, your work is going to show.”
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It certainly has as the schedule dwindles and the possibilities expand.
“We try to have a great sense of urgency with everything we do as coaches to set the tone for that,” Otzelberger said. “It takes a lot of leadership. It takes guys like Tamin (Lipsey) or (King) and Rob (Jones), who have been here and been part of the wins, been part of the pride that they have in our program.
“You’ve got to stay humble. You’ve got to stay hungry. Take it one day at a time, and put yourself in the best position you can.”
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.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball enters Big 12 homestretch as a contender
