Michael Jacobson brings rebounding, experience to Iowa State basketball

IOWA FALLS - Michael Jacobson looked for two things once he decided to transfer.

Joining a winning culture and developing close relationships with his new coaches were the most important things. It just so happened that his home state provided both of those opportunities.

Jacobson committed to the Iowa State men's basketball program Monday night and was officially announced by the school Wednesday morning. The Waukee native will sit out next season per NCAA transfer rules and have two years to play starting in 2018-19.

'From what I've seen from their style, they're pretty free,” Jacobson told The Gazette. 'I feel like they trust the guys that are on the floor to make the plays that they can make.”

At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, Jacobson was primarily known as a rebounder and stingy defender during his first two years at Nebraska. He averaged 6.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last year and started 56 of 65 games - including all 31 last season - in Lincoln.

Iowa State Coach Steve Prohm has asks his bigs to be energy guys who can go toe-to-toe physically on the block. Jacobson's presence gives the Cyclones both of those, especially after graduate transfers Jeff Beverly and Hans Brase leave the program after next season.

'The one thing that translates right away is rebounding,” Prohm said Wednesday on the final day of the Cyclone Tailgate Tour. 'You look at his numbers, between six and seven a game and only 20-some odd minutes, so if we can continue to improve that and then continue to work on his skillset and have a good sit-out year I think he'll be a big asset for us the following year.”

Throughout his sit-out season, Jacobson knows his focus has to be on offense. He shot 39 percent from the field as a sophomore, dipping slightly from the 43.3 percent he shot as a freshman.

Jacobson had a game-tying 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left against Wisconsin and the go-ahead bucket in a win against Purdue, but he knows there is an opportunity to develop a more complete offensive repertoire with a year away from competition.

'It was really good for me to get that experience and be able to play a ton of minutes in an obviously really good conference,” Jacobson said. 'It's not like I'm a guy coming in that has no idea what it's like to play in big environments or big games.

'I know what going on, I know what coaches kind of like and what they don't like and I think that's going to be good for me as I get older here.”

Jacobson was the No. 1 player in the state of Iowa in 2015, and had a previous brush with ISU athletics before going west. Former ISU football coach Paul Rhoads offered Jacobson a football scholarship, but he ultimately opted to go with basketball.

'It is kind of one of those weird things,” Jacobson said. 'It's kind of funny how everything works out. I'm definitely excited to get this opportunity. It makes you laugh a little bit.”

Iowa State has one open scholarship for next season, and possibly a second sometime soon. Combo guard signee Darius McNeill abruptly asked to be released from his letter of intent last weekend, putting Iowa State in a precarious position recruiting-wise.

Prohm said he won't fill the open spots for the sake of filling them, and said the possibility of adding another graduate transfer isn't a given.

'Anybody that can help us win next year or down the road,” Prohm said. 'But just not somebody just to take them.”

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