How Iowa State Became a Final Four Contender

[@oaklandafan75bz]

We also return our backcourt (Curtis Jones gets another year and said he wants to stay) next year. If Biliew is ready and JT Rock can contribute next year, one or two good transfer bigs will put this squad back on track for a top 10 team again. TJ also has the biggest biceps of any college basketball coach.

[@Clutch67]

I’ve thought this entire season that Gilbert is in his final year in college. Turns out he’s only a Junior. Him and Lipsey will be one of if not the best backcourt in the country next year.

[@---nj2pe]

pretty sure jones is back too. they’ll have two elite gaurds on the court at all times next year

[@Clutch67]

@@---nj2pe yeah he said after a win this season it’s likely he is back. I see no reason for any of the guards to leave. Just build on what you’ve got.

[@savannahrei8674]

TJ will win a Natty before he is done at Iowa State. They have a freshman seven footer and another 5 star freshman that they haven't even played this year because they can afford to let them develop over time.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Yeah I remember hearing lots about Omaha Biliew coming into the year.

[@savannahrei8674]

⁠@@BobbyDouglasBasketballOmaha will be a lottery pick one day. Milan is also a freshman and he earned a starting spot out of the gate but Biliew was picking up 3 fouls in 5 minutes of garbage time early in the season so his learning curve for B12 ball is much steeper

[@dal.890]

I hope you are right but it's so random in this day and age. Hopefully that helps us tho

[@kmarasin]

@@savannahrei8674Biliew will not be a lottery pick as he's a late developer, unless his development rapidly accelerates and he becomes one of the best collegiate players in the country next year. Drafting is done on young potential talent, not old developed talent, so if he takes longer his draft stock will drop. I've seen nothing to think that his ceiling is higher than Tyrese Haliburton's was at a similar point in his career yet.

[@woody5551]

Will all of these stars remain in Ames or will one or two be lured to other programs?

[@CycloneStater]

Well done. Good review. It’s a great time to be a Cyclone.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Appreciate it!

[@gabrielperez82204]

Great video! Otz is absolutely elite. Not sure what you had planned next but id love to see a South Carolina or Washington state breakdown as well.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Thanks! And actually it was gonna be South Carolina but then they lost twice last week hahaha

[@Harrison32413]

@@BobbyDouglasBasketball Ahh come on man. We beat Kentucky and Tennessee lol That's got to be worth a video. How about if we beat Ole Miss this weekend?

[@gocygo63]

...it's pretty common knowledge around Ames that Pollard wanted to hire Otz when Fred left but was told no by the university president & persue Prohm because he had more experience as a head coach...

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Interesting. I hadn't heard that before.

[@gocygo63]

@@BobbyDouglasBasketball ...also, Otz's wife is a former women's hoop star for Fennelly here...they both love Ames...

[@kmarasin]

That president did nothing good for ISU.

[@kmarasin]

Also TBF TJ needed the experience. Thanks to that he didn't need a breaking in period at ISU, he could make his mistakes at other schools.

[@igorlobkovenko9480]

As a Kansas fan, I really like TJ. His teams are very impressive. I love how physical they are in defense; not many teams still play like this. I hope they can get to the Final Four while TJ is there. One of three teams (Kansas, TCU) to defeat Houston

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Yep it’s definitely unique. Also cool how he kinda reinvented his style once he got to Ames.

[@ZanePedersen]

The improvement Ronald Jones has made in just a year is very inspiring and highlights why Otz is a great coach.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Yeah he's been phenomenal.

[@burningglory2373]

Update: We are now 6-0 in Big 12 Championship games. Letsgooo

[@caljerm]

Rob Jones was the reason those perimeter defenders could play so aggressively - NONE of that happens without Big Rob doing a ton of things that don't show up on a stat sheet.

[@jaggersportz-vm5mr]

I have thought this ever since the Kansas game

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

For me it was the Houston game at Hilton. First time I had seen Houston get pushed around like that

[@jaggersportz-vm5mr]

@@BobbyDouglasBasketball yea that was an eye opener after the Kansas game is when I realized this team is final four good

[@Ryan-yk7qm]

Great video man. As a state fan the detail and storytelling is spot on!

[@Ian-bi9ig]

great video bro. I had no idea otzelberger coached mike daum at south dakota state before

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Thanks! And yeah those were some captivating teams.

[@leoz9248]

Momcilovic reminds me Dirk Nowitzki. And the shot at 6:25 makes me miss Yao Ming. OMG he is talented. So so so impressive

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Yep. Unbelievably skilled.

[@johnbarker5009]

This has been a truly remarkable year for Iowa State, which was a preseason pick for SEVENTH in conference. Instead they just need one misstep from Houston to potentially take the conference championship. Don't count on that misstep, because it would be foolish to leave Houston out of your Final Four, but it could happen.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Yep. Unbelievable what Otzelberger has built. Not to mention a decent amount of this core can come back next year.

[@johnbarker5009]

@@BobbyDouglasBasketballthat's true. The biggest hole in the lineup will be Hasan Ward, Tre King, and Rob Jones. That's very significant, but I expect a year in practice and in the weight room will be transformative for Omaha Biliew. All those who are freaking out over his time off the bench need to remember, that's how the blueblood programs manage to reload instead of rebuilding year after year. They always have a couple of players who'd be starters on most teams who are learning the ropes to come on even stronger when the upper classmen move on.

[@kyricjohnson9007]

I have thought this since last year when they beat unc, Baylor and Kansas last year

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Yeah. Even year 1 when they just totally punked Wisconsin in the Tournament I was like "yeah there's something brewing here"

[@cyclonesfan9169]

They are a contender for sure, but you never know what will happen in March. I sure hope they do well in the tournament. It has been a long time since they got past the Sweet 16.

[@justingraves6485]

Great video.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

Thanks so much!

[@igorlobkovenko9480]

I hate the floor at TCU.

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

You’re not alone

[@OrangeChickenMeow]

Otzelberger also was an assistant under Prohm after Prohm got the job over him.

[@genemontoya4028]

Wicked matchup in the round of 8

[@dal.890]

Good video bro

[@benjohnson3777]

Love being a Cyclone right now!

[@Eli-by7kx]

Do a vid on cincy

[@robertmurdock8164]

Like every good team state has flaws one is their free throw percentage another is their offensive inconsistency State isn’t looking very focused or playing well and it’s close to tournament time I’m thinking the team is happy and satisfied with having a good season but won’t go deep in the tournament

[@chrisowen3264]

They won’t make a final 4 but I will admit they’re a very good program right now.

[@jakelewis6198]

elite eight floor

[@BobbyDouglasBasketball]

I think with the defense I'd put them comfortably in the Sweet 16 for sure.

[@themike97_58]

careful we dont want to jinx it. upsets happen - thats the whole spirit of march madness!

[@jacksontrotter1411]

I'm ngl as an iowa state fan who watched us get humiliated by a mid Pitt team in the first round of last year... not taking anything for granted.

[@FancyRexy]

I hear you, but you gotta remember, this team is FAR more offensively adept than that team ever dreamed of being while somehow being even better defensively. #2 in defense behind Houston, who no one is touching. Top 50 in offense, its not a great offense. But combined with that defense and its passable.

[@donkeykong1357]

Toke Iowa to go to top championship pray for me

[@lebronjericho6008]

Roll cyclones

[@Blayton-rd8ig]

Iowa State fans 👇