Red-hot Jayhawks top Cyclones

AMES — Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger struggled to find an explanation.

The No. 20 Cyclones’ pin their hopes — and identity — on being the aggressor each game.

That clearly didn’t occur Tuesday as depleted but gritty 10th-ranked Kansas left a quiet Hilton Coliseum with a 70-61 victory.

“I don’t have a great answer why,” said Otzelberger, whose team fell for the second time this season at home. “If I did I would have made sure I prevented it from happening, because that’s something we pride ourselves on, especially on our court. It’s not acceptable for us not to be the more physical team, so we’re gonna continue to demand that every single day in practice and we’re gonna demand it when we show up for the games and not put ourself in this position again.”

The table seemed set for ISU (16-6, 3-6 Big 12) to knock off the first-place Jayhawks (18-3, 7-1).

The near-sellout Hilton crowd of 13,587 provided ample noise and energy.

Kansas was playing without Ochai Agbaji — its leading scorer and national player of the year candidate — because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

But the Cyclones came out flat on the defensive end and couldn’t recover. The Jayhawks raced to a 13-6 lead fueled by three open 3-pointers and continued to sink clutch shots all night.

“They made big shots, but part of it to me is we weren’t as aggressive guarding as we need to be,” Otzelberger said. “We respect their team and their program and all that, but we’ve proven that when we really guard we dictate the shots that we want. Those shots were just too open and uncontested.”

ISU never held a lead and even when it mounted an Izaiah Brockington-led 8-0 run late in the first half to pull within two, at 24-22, Kansas answered. The Jayhawks led by as many as 14 points in the second half and never saw their edge dip below seven points.

“Just couldn’t string together stops,” said Brockington, who led the Cyclones with 24 points and eight rebounds. “They were getting kick-out threes. They are getting layups and stuff like that. Getting fouled. Layups off our turnovers and things like that, so we just can’t give up easy buckets.”

Kansas also played without starting guard Remy Martin, who’s been in and out of the lineup after suffering a knee injury.

But neither his nor Agbaji’s absence mattered. Jayhawks post player David McCormack controlled the interior, scoring 14 points while grabbing 13 rebounds. He also went 7-for-7 from the field — helping Kansas shoot 56 percent overall.

“Every time we had a run, they answered and answered it quickly,” Otzelberger said. “We didn’t do the job (of) stringing together three stops in a row that we pride ourself on. I think we had four in the first half and only two in the second. And when we string (together) those stops, that’s usually when we’re at our best downhill and in transition.”

Still, the Cyclones had chances.

Kansas committed 16 of its season-high 22 turnovers in the first half, but still led 30-24 at the break.

Why?

The Jayhawks enjoyed too many open looks when not turning the ball over and established firm control of the glass (37 to 26).

That’s not Iowa State basketball. Hence Otzelberger’s and his players’ consternation stemming from a prime opportunity missed. Nine more such opportunities remain in the regular season and if the Cyclones are to contend for a top-half finish in the league, they can’t loosen their grip on their identity for any extended period of time.

“That’s what we pride ourselves on, our defense,” said ISU guard Gabe Kalscheur, who scored 11 points. “Turning them over and getting transition points. If we just execute that, just finish and not turn the ball back over and miss opportunities, that would have helped us.”

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