What Kansas coach Bill Self said about Iowa State after Wednesday’s game – CycloneFanatic.com

AMES, IA – JANUARY 15: Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self coaches from the bench during the first half of the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on January 15, 2025 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)

AMES – Following Iowa State’s dismantling of Kansas no. 9 at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, the Jayhawks coach Bill Self was free of charge TJ Otzelberger and his team.

Here’s what he had to say.

On what led to Iowa State winning it: “What makes them who they are… I bet you they get 75% of every 50-50 ball. If there’s a ball in the air they seem to get it. And I thought in the first half , that there were probably five or six balls on an offensive rebound or something that could have been our balls. Now, there’s a difference between trying hard and actually competing. And I think they was better at it area in the first half.

About Iowa State’s Curtis Jones: “We stunk and it was 32-30. We didn’t close the half right and they had a player who played as a first-team all-American and he’s great.

“The aggressiveness of the freedom he plays with offense… you know, I’m sure he was always a great player and a good scorer and all that. But he’s playing downhill to the point now where he has caused you to withdraw in many ways.

“And (Keshon) Gilbert does, too. And obviously your point guard makes every play and he doesn’t score as many points, but I think that’s as much as anything.”

What Iowa State did defensively to limit Hunter Dickinson and win the game: “I think the biggest thing they did was they pressured the perimeter so hard that the only person who could handle it easily was a five-man. So you take the five-man away from the basket to facilitate pressure, he’s not going to score nearly as many points.

“The other thing that they do a good job of is when we tried to feed the post from the wing or the high slot several times on the first side – and the way they play, they catch from down low. It wasn’t, good design by us to try to do that, not that we wanted to get the ball to the second or third side as quickly as we could. But I think the way they guarded us – I think that’s the way that would limit Hunter’s good touches, but a lot was due to their guards forcing him to be on the rim.”

What TJ Otzelberger has done to make Iowa State the program it is right now: “I think their evaluation (in) recruiting has been tremendous. Maybe Jamie (Pollards) got them so much in NIL money that they could just go out and get anybody … but the bottom line is the pieces fit .

“The other thing is they’re very well drilled and they’re also very good at situational basketball… Like that one time we went small-switch-five, just BS with the ball until they get the big guy post and throw it over the top.

“They’re a very smart basketball team. They’re also old, but I’d say talent evaluation, putting a team together and then getting them to play as hungry as they do. I think that’s probably what I would commend him as much as anything, they have done a good job.”