No. 8 Iowa State is in a funk, as coach T.J. Otzelberger is well aware.
The Cyclones will have a chance to snap their three-game losing streak when they host TCU on Saturday afternoon in Ames, Iowa.
Otzelberger knows it won’t be easy for Iowa State (17-5, 7-4 Big 12) against TCU (12-10, 5-6), a potentially dangerous underdog that has earned back-to-back victories.
“Winning games is challenging in every conference,” Otzelberger said. “Winning games in the Big 12 when you get to late January and February especially, when everybody’s tired, everybody’s sore, everybody’s banged up, everybody’s mentally challenged, all of those things are going on — that’s where you’ve got to double down on your habits, your resiliency and the things that make you win. And then that puts you in the best position.
“But winning in this league is hard. I know that. I had many years as an assistant and now four as a head coach.”
TCU hopes to be the latest team to challenge Iowa State. The Horned Frogs are coming home off triumphs against Colorado on Sunday and West Virginia on Wednesday.
After losing six of their first nine conference games, the Horned Frogs are one win away from climbing back to .500 in the Big 12 standings.
“We’re getting better,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “We’re finding ways. It’s been hard, it’s been a battle. We know that, (given) how young we were, but I like how we responded.”
Noah Reynolds leads TCU with 12.7 points per game. Vasean Allette (11.6 points per game) also scores in double digits for the Horned Frogs, who lost Frankie Collins to a season-ending foot injury in December.
Dixon is coming off a career milestone. When he heads to his spot on the bench Saturday, it will mark the first contest since he won his 500th game.
“I’ve been lucky,” said Dixon, who won 328 games at Pitt and has 172 victories at TCU. “I’ve been at two great schools, two schools I care immensely about, and I’ve had a lot of good players. Great players. I’ve been lucky to do what I’ve wanted to do my whole life, and fortunately I have a family that supports me with it.”
Iowa State features five players who are scoring in double digits. Curtis Jones leads the team with 17.4 points per game, Keshon Gilbert is averaging 15.0 points, and Joshua Jefferson rounds out the top three with 12.8 points per game.
Tamin Lipsey (10.8 points per game) and Milan Momcilovic (10.3) also are scoring in double digits. Momcilovic has been sidelined by a hand injury since mid-January but returned to practice this week.
“He was out there and doing things,” Otzelberger said after Momcilovic got back on the court. “It will be day-to-day, whenever he’s able to return. When it’s in his best interest is when he’ll return.”
The Cyclones have struggled without their ace 3-point shooter. They shot a season-worst 30.6 percent from the floor and posted a season-low points total in a 69-52 loss at No. 16 Kansas on Monday.
