Bill Seals of CycloneReport chats Iowa State ahead of matchup in Ames

I think it all starts on the defensive end, as that tends to travel well, and it’s held Iowa State’s two Big 12 road opponents at bay. Iowa State led for all but about a few minutes combined against TCU and Oklahoma, yet it rarely was ahead by double digits (except for the opening stretch of the Sooner game). Opposing teams haven’t really sustained long runs to take control of games. ISU is getting great defensive play from some returning players like Gabe Kalscheur and Caleb Grill who know what it takes night in and night out at the Big 12 level. Some newcomers are also playing very well, particularly St. Bonaventure big man transfer Osun Osunniyi who played his best game as a Cyclone against the Sooners. True freshman point guard Tamin Lipsey, who wasn’t afforded the time to develop while playing alongside a player like Tyrese Hunter after the Big 12 Freshman of the Year transferred to Texas, was thrown to the wolves to start the season and has really come into his own. He’s taken care of the ball and been a facilitator of the offense, while also developing his individual game along the way.

How has the no-middle scheme for ISU been attacked?

Iowa State’s defensive success can largely be traced to head coach TJ Otzelberger’s hiring of former UNI assistant Kyle Green, who has been the architect. The no-middle defense has been hard to solve when utilized at other Big 12 locales like Baylor and Texas Tech over the years. The Cyclones want to force the ball to the sidelines and keep the action away from the paint. I think the best ways to attack it are with baseline drives, combining ball screens with baseline screens. Against a switching no-middle defense, sometimes the dribble handoff is a way to counter. In this scheme, Iowa State has tended to leave the 3-point shot open a lot, and that was the primary way Iowa was able to knock off its in-state rival during the non-conference season. The Hawkeyes got hot early from the outside, opening a 26-4 lead, and the rest was history. Iowa went on to make 12-of-23 3-pointers in a 19-point victory.

How has the absence of Kunc been handled?

It’s been handled remarkably well, as the loss of the senior forward nearly coincided with the Cyclones getting transfer forward Tre King eligible after he missed a year of competition due to NCAA transfer rules. Kunc hasn’t been a big contributor in the scoring column but was a good facilitator of the offense from the top of the circle. The center Osunniyi has taken on a bigger role and responded well, and King is coming off his best game in an ISU uniform with 12 points against TCU.

Two tight wins for the Cyclones have them ranked nicely, are you expecting a large crowd on Tuesday night?

Iowa State has drawn well during the holiday break, as fans are still packing Hilton Coliseum without classes being in session. I expect that to again be the case on Tuesday night. The athletic department has also used some 2-for-1 promos and other discounts during the holiday break to help fill the void of students being out of town.

Prediction for how Tuesday night's contest in Ames shakes out?

I think it would be easy to predict a sizeable Cyclone victory this week. After all, Iowa State is returning home after two difficult road victories and is 3-0 in league play. Texas Tech is 0-3 in Big 12 play and will be missing some guys on the road trip. But I was also in Ames last season when Texas Tech brought five scholarship players on the road and nearly upset ISU. And the Red Raiders obliterated the Cyclones in Kansas City in March. However, I’ve got the Cyclones moving to 4-0 in the conference in another tight game (for them).

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