Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger doesn’t buy the hype that a team flips a switch when February arrives.
With the penultimate month in the regular season already underway, No. 7 Iowa State (20-2, 7-2 Big 12) hosts Baylor (13-9, 3-7) on Saturday in Ames, Iowa.
“I don’t believe in any narratives about entering February,” Otzelberger said. “I think mental focus on what matters and consistency of habits is what wins out.”
Iowa State has won four straight games, the latest a 95-61 road blowout of Kansas State on Sunday. Joshua Jefferson scored 19 points to lead five Cyclones who scored in double figures.
Without a weekday game, the Cyclones got a chance to hit the practice floor and heal up as they prepare to push for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Ranked No. 5 in the NCAA NET and No. 4 at KenPom.com, Iowa State also has the benefit of playing in KenPom’s top-ranked conference.
“This is the time of year you want to hit your stride and continue to improve when you have extra time for practice, which is great,” Otzelberger said. “But it also gives you the opportunity to make sure you are doing what you can mindfully for guys’ bodies to feel great.”
The Cyclones picked up a 70-60 win over Baylor in Waco on Jan. 7. Since then, Otzelberger noticed Baylor has stepped up its 3-point shooting. Because the Bears won the rebounding battle 47-44 thanks to a 21-16 edge on the offensive boards, the Cyclones’ fifth-year coach said Iowa State has to block out.
“Baylor has a better understanding of who they are and how they are going to win games,” Otzelberger said. “They are a team of great versatility. If you get a couple wins this time of year, you get your confidence up. They are good on the offensive glass and convert those extra chances to points.”
The latest win in Baylor’s up-and-down campaign has them on the fringe of the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Bears knocked off Colorado 86-67 on Wednesday but need to beef up their resume, something a win at Iowa State would offer.
Cameron Carr (19.4 points per game), Tounde Yessoufou (17.7) and Obi Agbim (11.5) lead Baylor in scoring.
Not far off their pace is Dan Skillings (10.2). The senior guard missed the game against the Buffaloes with a knee injury. Baylor coach Scott Drew said he hopes Skillings is “day-to-day” but that he “hasn’t been given a timeline.”
Drew noted how important it is for the Bears’ top offensive performers to step up down the stretch.
“If you have three (players) that are going, it’s really hard to stop a team,” Drew said. “If you have one, it’s easy to lock in on them, two as well. But those three guys especially can put up big numbers.”
Against the Buffaloes, Yessoufou went off for 27 points as he connected on 4 of 7 three-point attempts. He added seven rebounds and said the key to his success was to let the game come to him.
“I trust my teammates to find me and the coach’s plan,” Yessoufou said. “I’m not out there trying to force it. Just play the game as it comes to me and play the right way.”
