No. 10 Iowa State Men’s Basketball Seeking Season’s Cowing of Fighting UCF

Ames – The distance was much improved and the track became less crowded.

These two welcome side effects of standout shooter Milan Momcilovic’s return to the Outright of No. 10 Iowa State (18-5, 8-4 BIG 12) After missing a month with a hand injury was widely expected and came to execute in Cyclones ’82 -52 Disassembly of TCU Saturday.

But there is a less obviously positive by-product derived from the 6-foot-7 Sophomore tip, active status: His teammates-Ice-Ice Star Guards Keshon Gilbert, Curtis Jones and Tamin Lipsey-Can remain relatively fatigue-free.

“I think one of the biggest things that was hidden throughout this stretch was that it was good early, but the more games went on, the more our other guys had to play,” said Isu – Assistant coach Erik Crawford, whose team is facing whistles, but dangerous UCF (13-10, 4-8) in a Big 12 Lord’s Basketball match at. 18 Tuesday in Orlando. “I think when you take a guy who was an average of 25 to 30 minutes a game, it just puts the load on the rest of these guys. And then, when we started to see, you could tell that we were a little more beaten up as the matches went on. “

Jones and Lipsey played season high minutes in five of the seven games that Momcilovic was out. Gilbert did it in three games – but was perhaps most influenced by Momcilovic’s absence due to his downward attacking style, which teams counteracted by packing the paint.

Combine all these factors and it’s easy to see why Cyclones lost four of these seven matches, but now seems to solidify their status among Big 12’s top-four teams.

“Of course, the Vibbs were a little low when you walk on a three-match’s losing row, but I know that all our guys have high expectations for us and we know we are one of the best teams in the country,” Lipsey said that has played with a broken thumb in recent weeks. “We can go out and perform like that, so we just go to it every night and try to get to work.”

On Tuesday night, the work approach is taking place against the knights running on a seasonal four-match’s losing row. However, UCF boasts some impressive gains this season, including a road triumph of No. 12 Texas Tech and a seasonal home win over eighth -ranked Texas A&M.

“They are a scary team,” said Crawford, who approached the media on Monday, because head coach TJ Otzelberger had a time conflict. “As easy as they can lose, they can win by 20. They have the ability to put points probably as well as any team at our conference and I think what you’ve seen is what the league does: It’s a Hard League to get through, of course, with us dropping three (straight) games, and I think they have fallen four (in a row), it’s more couple for the course.

“When you go on the road in some of these environments, it’s hard to play, and I think that’s what they’re facing.”

ISU is meanwhile in the middle of a four-game stretch without ranked enemies. And if cyclones can navigate it successfully, they will enter what is likely to be a hyped top-10 matchup on February 22 at No. 6 Houston with revived high hopes and as a projected two-seed in NCAA- the tournament. But as Crawford said, life in the big 12 means that unforeseen storms that can emerge everywhere, at any time and against any of the league’s 16 teams.

“That’s the beauty of the sport,” said Transfer Forward Joshua Jefferson, who noted his ninth double-double in the season of the victory over the horned frogs. “There (s) will always be ups and downs. You just have to stay with it and not be consumed by all the low ones that have happened during the season. So just keeping confidence and being encouraged with everything. “

Especially during weathering damage that ISU was endured while revitalizing himself when March clings.

“The most important thing is to have great practice, get lost in the game with your teammates and have fun,” Otzelberger said after the TCU victory. “We were able to do it (on Saturday).”

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