The caller after Iowa State lost badly against Kansas State at Hilton Coliseum Saturday, told me I’ve got it all wrong. Geez, never heard that in 52 years in my previous journalistic career.
“Everyone says Iowa State needs Milan Momcilovic back – that the reason for this two-game losing streak is because he’s sitting on the bench, recovering from a broken bone in a hand,” the caller says.
And your point is?
“Sure, we miss Milan,” I was told, and then in no uncertain terms, I was barked this:
“The guy we really need is Robert Jones.”
Interesting take.
And accurate.
Do you think Iowa State would have been out-played so badly in the paint during Saturday’s 80-61 previously-unthinkable loss against Kansas State, if Big Rob Energy had been on the team?
Nope.
Do think BRE would have been the commanding player-to-teammate voice when nothing was going right -- when Cyclones looked whipped, and when loose balls went uncontested?
Yep.
Will Iowa State admins find some eligibility left for the 6-foot-10, 255-pound enforcer in time for Monday’s 8 p.m., game at Kansas – against a team that blew a 21-point lead during Saturday’s loss at Baylor?
Finding eligibility for clearly the heart, soul, hustle and muscle of last season’s team would be a legacy discovery for Jamie Pollard. Ain’t happening, so it’s imperative that current bigs such as Joshua Jefferson, Dishon Jackson, Demarion Watson and Brandton Chatfield do better than the 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting, and 17 rebounds for which they combined Saturday.
“The rebounding thing was the difference in the entire game,” Otzelberger said, about Kansas State’s 39-29 board whipping. “That to me was indicative of our effort, our energy, and us not playing anywhere near our standard.”
That atrocious inside play led to the Wildcats having a 21-6 second-chance points advantage. That’s not standard Iowa State, either. It’s highly substandard, and something that a Rob Jones-like presence never would let happen.
"There was a point in the game when it was 15-0 in second-chance points," Otzelberger told reporters. "That's a care, that's a pride, that's a fight, that's physical -- and to me, it was indicative of our effort, our energy, and us not playing anywhere near our standard."
That’s where a Big Rob-type would help. I’m not saying this team doesn’t have it. I’m saying that if it does, then it better show up for the 10 regular-season games.
We’re halfway through the Big 12’s first 20-game regular-season schedule – and Iowa State is playing as poorly right now as it’s played under the fourth-season coach. I mean, to lose by 19 points against Kansas State – at Hilton Coliseum?
That never should happen – even in the Wildcats’ gym. The way Saturday’s debacle played out – go ahead, try to find a worse regular-season loss since the infamous 2-22 team.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello put it into context: The Wildcats were the first team with a sub .500 record to beat an Associated Press Top 5 by 15 points or more in the history of the media poll.
So much for entering the season’s second half as a No. 1 seed on NCAA Tournament brackets. (Probably). So much that Top 3 national ranking (for now).
Saturday’s loss was an immediate blow to the metrics, and with Monday’s game against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse coming up – this team had better get its stuff together, and it better happen quickly.
The Cyclones have lost two games in a row. They’ve lost three of the last five. They’re 3-3 since losing Momcilovic and his 44.3% three-point shooting to injury.
And now to Kansas – 48 hours after Bill Self’s team lost at Baylor.
It’s not dire, this pause during what was headed toward the best season in Iowa State basketball history. It’s not even grave – if these guys quickly:
** Stop playing soft near the basket.
** Start becoming (again) the more physical team.
** Return to protecting the basketball and honoring each possession like it can be the difference between a one-possession win and a 19-point home loss, and
** Find a floor leader, an on-court presence that can turn a situation around, when the game’s flow needs attention.
That’s just the eye-test stuff that’s been missing during the program’s first two-game conference losing streak since the 2022-23 season. Granted, the current stuff isn’t a big deal . . .
Unless it becomes a big deal.
(Randy Peterson can be reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close)