In a battle for a spot in the Sweet Sixteen, No. 2 Iowa State looks to make up for the size disadvantage with its aggressiveness in the team’s matchup with No. 7 Washington State.
With four forwards in their starting lineup, all of whom are 6-foot-8 or taller, the Cougars have utilized their size advantage on the glass and in the paint to a 25-win season. Iowa State is now tasked with combatting Washinton State’s statue of a roster and plans to outwork the Cougars despite the disadvantage in some matchups.
“Our plan is to just out-physical them and make them make a lot of decisions with the ball,” Tre King said. “That’s something they haven’t really had to do this season.”
This tactic worked for the Cyclones in their 82-65 win over South Dakota State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. While they were not outsized nearly as much as they will against the Cougars, the Cyclones’ ball pressure around the perimeter forced many mistakes from the Jackrabbits.
Even though the offense has started to come together down the stretch, Iowa State has always made sure to stick to its problem-sparking defense to keep the team in games.
But forcing turnovers will not be enough to secure a win against the Cougars, as the Cyclones will need to focus on grabbing loose balls off the glass to avoid second-chance points. Washington State’s immense size has led the team to average 37.8 rebounds per game, while Iowa State has averaged 33.9.
“[The Cougars] do a great job getting the ball in the paint, getting the ball in the post, attacking the rim,” head coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Terrific offensive rebounding team, really hard to keep off the glass.”
With the amount of weight the rebounding battle holds in this matchup, someone will need to step up for the Cyclones.
King is no stranger to this challenge as he had a goal for himself to be one of the best rebounding bigs in the Big 12. While the senior forward has averaged 5.3 boards so far this season, he has turned his numbers up and carved out an important role for the Cyclones in the postseason.
Heading into the matchup with Washington State, King has snagged six or more rebounds in all but one of his last seven games, including a pair of games in the Big 12 Tournament with nine.
Knowing how big of an impact his talents can make on the outcome of the game, King is looking forward to the challenge that the Cougars’ size offers.
“I take it as a huge sense of pride, a big opportunity for me,” King said. “I’m ready to see what not only me, but the rest of the frontline guys do in this round as well.”
Outside of winning the battle off the glass, Iowa State also plans to focus on keeping the ball from getting into the paint on the defensive side. Washington State averages nearly 35 points in the paint this season, so breaking up passes and clogging up the lanes will be a huge emphasis for Otzelberger’s squad.
“We have to make sure that we’re in position to be mindful of that at all times and just try to bring a defensive presence,” Otzelberger said. “The speed of the basketball, hand-to-hand activity, all of those things are important.”
As the stakes get higher the deeper they go in the Big Dance, the Cyclones are going into this matchup the same way they would any other.
Although the team is tasked with the difficult challenge of overcoming size disadvantages, Iowa State is keeping its composure heading into Saturday night.
“We’re going in with the same approach, preparing the same way, and preparing to win the game,” Curtis Jones said. “No matter who we’re playing, we’re going to be prepared.”
Iowa State’s Round of 32 matchup against Washington State is set to tip off at 5:10 p.m. Saturday at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The game will be aired on TNT.
