The Cyclones danced into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed where they now prepare to take on a South Dakota State team that has history with Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
A year ago, Iowa State entered the NCAA Tournament with high hopes. Those hopes were dashed right away as Pittsburgh took advantage of an ice-cold Cyclone offense.
Now, the Cyclones are looking to put the past aside and prove that they can make a deep run.
“All the returners are disappointed in the performance a year ago, and just knowing that we have a new opportunity this year to go out and make a difference and sorta correct our mistakes of last year,” Tamin Lipsey said.
Although South Dakota State is a No. 15 seed, the Jackrabbits play with pace, which could give the Cyclones issues.
South Dakota State’s top scorer Zeke Mayo averages nearly 20 points per game. Pair that with excellent guard play all around, and the Jackrabbits can push the pace of the game.
“It’s just a team offensively with a lot of weapons that can really score points in a hurry,” Otzelberger said.
Lipsey said that South Dakota State’s ball movement and efficient shooters are what make them a threat. The Jackrabbits do not dribble the ball a lot. The team looks for motion on offense to create plays either toward the rim or from deep.
“They do a good job moving the ball. Obviously, we’re gonna try to make them dribble a little bit more,” Lipsey said. “That’s sorta our game plan always on defense—make them uncomfortable.”
Iowa State’s defense will have to lock in if it wants to avoid an upset. The Cyclones have the ability to put on the pressure, especially since South Dakota State has not faced a challenge as tall as Iowa State.
The Jackrabbits won the Summit League Conference outright and rolled through the conference tournament.
“They’ve won eight in a row. They’re playing their best right now,” Otzelberger said.
For Iowa State, despite the team in front of it, the game plan remains the same. Take it one game at a time.
That mentality is what helped the Cyclones’ success throughout the season and was a big reason they took home the Big 12 Title.
“Just stay in the moment,” Milan Momcilovic said.
Momcilovic has been a player that has stayed in the moment more in recent games, as he regained his confidence in big outings against Baylor and Houston.
With March Madness coming down to the wire and crazy finishes happening more often than expected, Momcilovic will have to continue rolling. He was the clutch factor in the past and is sure he can be again in the NCAA Tournament.
“A lot of the games come down to the last two minutes. You’re gonna need to hit some big shots if you wanna advance, so I’m looking forward to that,” Momcilovic said.
“When we’re gonna need a shot, I feel like the ball should come to my hands,” Momcilovic said.
The Cyclones’ NCAA Tournament opens against South Dakota State at 6:35 p.m. Thursday in Omaha, Nebraska. The game will be aired on TruTV.
