Simply three days after he climbed to the only possession of the No. 1 spot within the Large 12, No. 5 Kansas State He ran as the one workforce main the nation’s wildest convention end because the Wildcats fell 80-76 in twelfth place Iowa. Jaryn Holmes led the Hurricanes with 23 factors, together with a pair of free throws within the closing seconds that helped enhance the rating.
With the win, Iowa (15-4, 6-2 Large 12) rose to a three-way tie for first place within the Large 12 together with Ok-State and Texas After coping with Longhorn Oklahoma State At house on Tuesday. 4 gamers scored in double digits for the Hurricanes, who remained undefeated at house and eliminated dangerous style for a 16-point lead from Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma State.
Kansas State additionally had 4 gamers in double figures, however the Wildcats struggled defensively within the second half as Iowa State shot 62.5% from the ground within the last half and made 15 of 19 free throws. The Wildcats (17-3, 6-2) had 23 factors from level guard Markquis Nowell, together with 18 within the second half, however merely could not cease sufficient.
Ok-State will drop the extremely anticipated #1 beginning lineup on CBS Sports activities The science of braces Projected NCAA Event Stadium knowledgeable Jerry Palm because of the loss. The Wildcats stay among the best tales in faculty basketball after being chosen to complete final within the Large 12 below first-year head coach Jerome Tang, however Tuesday served as a reminder of simply how onerous life within the Large 12 has been this season.
Arrival in Iowa
The win marked Iowa’s first win over a top-five opponent because the 2015-16 season when the Hurricanes beat No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 4 Kansas in consecutive weeks. Present coach TJ Otzelberger was an assistant for that workforce, which rose to No. 4 within the AP Ballot and reached the Candy 16 because the No. 4 seed within the NCAA Event.
These heights appeared distant within the 2020-21 season because the Hurricanes struggled to publish a 2-22 (0-18) document. However then ISU employed Otzelberger away from UNLV, and her fortunes instantly rotated. The Hurricanes completed final season 22-13 of their first yr below Otzelberger and reached the Candy 16 on the heels of their worst season in program historical past. The 2022-23 workforce is proving that final season was no fluke.
In truth, this Iowa State workforce seems to be higher than final season’s lineup, regardless of the lack of main scorer Isiah Brockington to commencement and second scorer Tyrese Hunter, who transferred to Texas. The Cyclones at the moment are 6-4 in Quad 1 video games and are a mixed 2-0 in opposition to Kansas State and Texas who share first place within the convention.
Kansas grinding
Tuesday night time’s motion solely bolstered simply how brutal the Large 12 has been this season. Not removed from the trio of 6-2 groups, perennial powerhouses Baylor and Kansas are at 5-3. Additionally at 5-3 is No. 11 TCU. All six groups within the 6-2, 5-3 group seem to have a official probability at profitable the convention. The league’s backside 4 of Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Texas Tech are additionally within the high 75 within the NET rankings.
The Large 12 is a grind, however the benefit of the Wildcats is that Tang isn’t any stranger to this actuality. After 19 seasons as an assistant at Baylor, Tang is aware of the 12’s finest. After his workforce’s first Large 12 loss at TCU on January 14, Ok-State rebounded by defeating Kansas in its subsequent spherical.
There are many defensive points for the Wildcats to handle from Tuesday’s sport film, however there isn’t any trigger for concern over Iowa’s loss. Hilton Coliseum is a venue recognized for powerful opponents, and Ok-State executed nicely sufficient offense in that setting to win. In the long run, the Wildcats’ protection is what let the workforce down.