PETE: Saturday was all about Milan Momcilovic – or was it?

Saturday at Hilton Coliseum was about Milan Momcilovic’s return.

He let no one down.

Saturday was also about T.J. Otzelberger’s team getting right again.

His guys didn’t disappoint, either, unless you’re so much of an elitist that a 82-52 victory against TCU a disappointment.

But I wondered while watching this mismatch of a Big 12 basketball game, just who got right, the most.

Was it Momcilovic, whose 14 second-half points showed that his good three-point shooting accuracy suffered no rust, while missing the previous seven games during recovery from a hand injury suffered during practice on Jan. 14?

If I’d have asked every one of the 14,267 fans who attended Saturday’s game, of course they’d say the game was all about the 6-foot-8 sophomore wing player’s return. I mean, students cheered him when he walked onto the floor 90 or so minutes before the game. They cheered each of his practice baskets. They cheered him while running off the floor after his pre-game warmup. They cheered him again when he returned, and when he was announced?

Oh man, verbal chaos was so loud, it vibrated frozen East and West Okoboji lakes. The crowd not only was jacked because this Saturday afternoon featured a compelling Milan Momcilovic story, but because the ESPN College Basketball GameDay crew staged an hour-long show before the game’s 11 a.m., start. And when the big guy swished his first corner three, 3 minutes into the second half?

Whoeeee (as Johnny Orr used to say), it was loud.

So, in the sense of believing the obvious about No. 1, which Iowa State player benefited the second-most during a game the Cyclones moved to 8-4 in the Big 12 and 18-5 overall, before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. roadie at UCF?

Call me crazy, but I’d say Saturday’s game was just as big for Curtis Jones as it was for Momcilovic. CuJo was back in his comfort zone; he came off the bench again. He provided more evidence that he’s the best Sixth Man, not only in the Big 12, but the nation.

“He’s been as selfless as anybody could,” Otzelberger said after the game. “The level he’s continued to play at, consistently, has been amazing.

“We’d be kidding ourselves if he wasn’t a capable starter, but we view it right now as six starters. He just happens to be the selfless teammate willing to come off the bench.”

Jones heated up again from the arc, after entering the game when he used to enter (just before the under 16 timeout). He swished a three-peat of threes late in the first half. He scored 24 points.

As a Sixth Man Saturday, he misfired just once out of six attempts from that range. As a starter during the just-ended three-game losing streak, Jones made just 3 of 21 three-point shots. Jones led Iowa State with 24 points -- his first 20-point game since scoring 33 at Arizona State on Jan. 25.

Jones and Momcilovic's nine combined 3-pointers, was the first time since Dec. 8 against Jackson State, that two Cyclones made at least four 3-pointers in a game.

See my point?

Momcilovic’s return opened the floor for everyone. Now, there were multiple wing shooters to defend – including Milan and his team-best 45.5% deep shooting.

It opened the floor for bigs like Dishon Jackson and Joshua Jefferson – and the 11-15 shooting, 15 rebounds and 27 points for which they combined. No longer are defenses focusing on them middle. Iowa State held a commanding 44-28 advantage in points in the paint, because now, defenses are forced to respect everybody coach T.J. Otzelberger puts on the floor.

“Seeing the lane a little less clogged than it normally is was big-time,” Jones said. “We’re a team that likes to score in the paint.”

They’re also a team with its mojo – and Milan -- back, after going through a lull that all good teams experience.

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