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PETE: Late-week timeout meanderings include Jerome Tang’s accusation(s), the Big 12’s Big 4, and renewal of the Big 16’s best rivalry

Randy PetersonRandy Peterson

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January 30, 2025

UNDER 16:Hello, Jerome Tang. Welcome back to Hilton Coliseum

Do onto others, as other did onto you? I don’t expect Iowa State fans to act as foolishly Saturday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum, as Kansas State’s coach acted after his Wildcats lost by 11 in Ames, last season. Cyclones fans are better than that.

You know what I’m talking about – the story the Kansas City Star reported about the Cyclones allegedly placing team personnel (aka managers) near Kansas State’s bench during timeouts to provide Iowa State coaches video intel on Tang’s strategy. The story was per anonymous sources.

What happened, though, was far from anonymous. In front of 14,267 Hilton fans, Tang, pointing toward the crowd, confronted Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger about something during a late-game, second-half timeout. Both coaches, immediately after the game, refused to say what was said during this very rare on-court, in-game heated conversation.

Two days later, though, after the Star’s story was published, Otzelberger appropriately went into defense mode, during comments after his team beat Kansas at Hilton Coliseum.

"Incredibly disappointing that after such an awesome (ISU-Kansas) game, an awesome environment and atmosphere, that I even have to begin by addressing something that happened earlier this week," Otzelberger said. "The ludicrous rumors earlier this week that somehow we were trying to gain an advantage looking into our opponents' huddles is an affront to our players, our fans and to me.

"It's not who I am. It's not what our program is about, and I'm angry that someone would even make that suggestion."

Otzelberger continued with "what is factual is that one of their staff members cursed out one of our student managers who was mopping the floor under the basket. So let's put this to bed here and now. It didn't happen. It won't happen.

"And others need to be much more careful with their words moving forward."

Afterwards, Kansas State declined to comment, and to my knowledge, there’s been no formal apology. Yes, a formal apology would have been appropriate, considering Tang brought this to light by confronting Otzelberger on the floor, and in front of a packed arena, during a game.

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UNDER 12:Do onto others Part-II.

Saturday is the first Iowa State-Kansas State game since Tang publicly called out Cyclones star Tamin Lipsey. Remember that one, after the Cyclones banished the Wildcats from the last Big 12 tournament in Kansas City?

Here’s what he said, after Lipsey’s 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals helped Iowa State’s 76-57 victory:

"The number one flopper (in the Big 12) plays for Iowa State, and he's really good, Tamin Lipsey. Right?"

Right. Lipsey was a first-team All-Big 12 All-Defensive selection last season by the coaches.

Interestingly, Lipsey was called for flopping during last Monday’s loss at Arizona -- after a defender hit his injured and bandaged thump while shooting a corner 3-pointer. TV replays looked like it was more reaction to the defender hitting his injured thumb, than flopping.

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UNDER 8: Despite Monday’s loss at Arizona, Iowa State still would be a No. 1 seed, if NCAA Tournament selection was today. Auburn, Duke and Alabama would be the others.

Otzelberger’s team would still play its first two Tournament games in Milwaukee, with a legitimate destination hope still the April 5-7 Final Four in San Antonio.

Losing against a good team on the road, like Arizona in Tucson, is no disgrace. Caleb Love, whose just-beyond halfcourt heave beat the buzzer to send the game into overtime (and whose eight points and 2-for-2 three-point shooting during the extra session won the game) is a possible second-round draft pick. He’s one of the Big 12’s best.

So, losing against the Wildcats, during a Penn State football-like White Out at the McKale Center, isn’t the end of the world.

Just don’t make a habit of it . . .

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UNDER 4: The Big 12 Conference will be a Big 4 the Other 12 Conference . . .

Regardless what happens this weekend, next week, and the weeks after that.Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, and Arizona are the conference’s best four teams, and likely will be in that order after the regular season’s final round of games. The others? They’re just that. The others.

The top four enter the weekend with 30-6 records. Some among the others (40-63 record combined) can pull off an upset, but not enough to change this obese league’s dynamic by season’s end.

(Randy Peterson can be reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close)