Randy Peterson
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February 20, 2025
Saturday’s Iowa State-Houston game is big, don’t get me wrong. It’s among the most significant, during a regular season full of significant. Elbows will fly. Baskets will be at a premium when two of the nation’s best defensive teams meet at 1 p.m., at Houston’s Fertitta Center.
But make or break?
Nope.
For Iowa State, it’s another chance to see where T.J. Otzelberger’s team ranks with the nation’s heavies. They’ve already hung with top-ranked Auburn in a game coach Bruce Pearl’s Tigers won on a walk-off put-back. They beat Top 10 Marquette by 11, and won at Top 10 Texas Tech in overtime.
Now, it’s time for a trip to Kelvin Sampson’s house -- where the Cyclones can move up from the 3-seed line, and where Houston can solidify (or add) to its two-game Big 12 lead.
And what we’re likely seeing, is a preview of the conference tournament’s March 15 championship game.
Regardless what happens during a game that follows ESPN’s College GameDay, Houston remains the Big 12 favorite, and Iowa State continues on a path for a conference tournament double-bye.
RP PREDICTION:Houston 80, Iowa State 79 (2 OT)
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UNDER 16: Rock’s Chalk is Broken
Losing a men’s basketball game at BYU isn’t a disgrace, an embarrassment or even shocking – unless it’s a 34-point whipping against a team that was the nation’s No. 1 for the season’s first five weeks.
Just how bad right now is the Kansas team that future Hall of Famer Bill Self coaches?
Bad enough that you wonder if the legendary program needs a head coaching reset?
“It was awful, and I thought they were great," Self said after his team matched the worst loss in his 22 seasons at the school. "Our offense stunk, but that wasn't it. It was we couldn't stop them."
The Jayhawks are 17-9 overall and 8-7 in the Big 12. They’ve also lost by 17 against Iowa State, by 13 against Creighton and by 11 against Baylor – all away from comfy Allen Fieldhouse.
Trouble in the heartland?
“Obviously we’re going to catch a lot of flak, whether it’s fans or national media, and rightfully so, because we just lost by damn near 40,” center Hunter Dickinson told reporters. “Nobody is going to feel bad for us, now that NIL is the thing, and players are getting paid and everything like that. They’re going to expect you to perform like a paid player.”
I can’t even imagine how amplified that “flak” will be if Dickinson and Co., lose at home against a bad Oklahoma State team on Saturday.
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UNDER 12: Big Iowa State bench lifts from Chatfield and Heise . . .
. . . and for the Cyclones to hang with Houston on Saturday, those two players can’t let up even a smidge.
How they played Tuesday night against last-place Colorado, was an example of what this Iowa State team needs more of – reserve spark from a teammate not named Curtis Jones.
And believe me, that’s going to be a factor Saturday against one of the most physical and hardest-working teams in the country – where good depth will be important.
At 6-foot-10, Brandt Chatfield must hold his own against the Cougars’ versatile bigs. Six-to-10 points would help, too, as would as many rebounds as he can gather against a team that averages almost 6 more rebounds a game against conference opponents.
Chatfield had 6 points and a fist-full of rebounds during 15 minutes against the Buffs, while the 6-4 Nate Heise had one of his best games, with 11 points and 4 boards.
"When you go to the bench and you have Curt Jones, and then those guys are playing with confidence as well, there's really no drop-off,” Otzelberger said after the game. “You feel like you can go to the bench and get better."
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UNDER 8:Coaching situations worth watching
This could be a very interesting off-season, in that respect. Indiana already is open. There’s chatter about Texas and Iowa. And what if there’s a change at the top at Kansas?
Holy smokes.
I make nothing of Otzelberger’s name showing up on web sites – other than he’s one of the nation’s top coaches. I mean, Iowa State is as close to a destination job for him as it comes. He’ll certainly show up on similar, click bait lists if Texas opens, too.
Cyclone fans would rather have him on highly-coveted lists, than the alternative. I presume.
Keep an eye on first-season Drake coach Ben McCullom, who is on everyone’s radar, and what about Kansas?
Yeah, it could be an interesting off-season, if all those high-level jobs open.
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UNDER 4: What are you watching on Saturday? Here’s some ideas, from an Iowa State perspective.
Besides the Cyclones’ noon game at Houston, there’s:
West Virginia-Texas Tech at noon on ESPN+, BYU-Arizona at 9 p.m., p.m., on ESPN, and Oklahoma State-Kansas on CBS at 3 pm., (just for curiosity’s sake).
At least three of those games are pertinent in the conference tournament’s hunt for the double-bye: The ones involving the Cyclones, Arizona, and Texas Tech.
(Award-winning columnist Randy Peterson can be, and has been, reached at randypete4846@gmail.com or at any Okoboji-area beverage/food establishment between the hours of open and close.)