Iowa State basketball: TJ Otzelberger on Tamin Lipsey’s impact
Iowa State basketball coach discussed the impact of Tamin Lipsey for the Cyclones, despite not being 100% this year.
The Big 12 came out on top in the annual Big 12-Big East battle, winning the series 6-5.
Is that enough to say the conference is the best in the country? Not so fast.
The SEC has that claim. The Big 12, thanks in part to Kansas’ sudden struggles, has fallen from the top spot.
The Jayhawks lost two straight games as the No. 1-ranked team. Houston has had issues. Baylor lost to another ranked opponent.
But there is Iowa State.
The Cyclones are at this moment the Big 12’s greatest hope. They look like Final Four contenders.
That’s exactly why for the first time they take the top spot in the power rankings this week. Let’s get to the rankings:
Last week: 2
This week: at Iowa (Thursday); vs. Omaha (Sunday)
What to know: Welcome to the top, Cyclones. You did it with dynamic defense and a nearly as elite offense. Props to Curtis Jones, who has scored in double figures off the bench the past seven games.
Last week: 3
This week: vs. Toledo (Wednesday)
What to know: The Cougars clearly need their defense to show up. And 70 is the magic number. They are undefeated when they hold opponents to less than 70 points.
Last week: 1
This week: vs. NC State (Saturday)
What to know: The Jayhawks lost two straight games as the No. 1-ranked team in the AP poll for the first time since Florida did the same in 2003. But the biggest issue is Hunter Dickinson. The big man has not been himself.
Last week: 4
This week: No games scheduled
What to know: The Bears are off for 16 days. They once again rate as a top-10 offense on KenPom.com. But that defense … well … it’s not so good at No. 76. It’s how struggling UConn rallied to move the Bears to 1-3 against top-25 teams.
Last week: 5
This week: vs. Xavier (Saturday)
What to know: The Bearcats finally lost a game (to Villanova) but they still got a late-week boost. Their best player, Dan Skillings Jr., returned from injury. Cincinnati is even more dangerous with Skillings.
Last week: 6
This week: vs. Florida in Atlanta (Saturday)
What to know: Freshman phenom Joson Sanon, a possible first-round selection in the NBA Draft, is coming off the bench. It’s a little surprising and unorthodox but it’s also a sign of the Sun Devils’ depth.
Last week: 7
This week: vs. Oral Roberts (Monday)
What to know: The Red Raiders miss JT Toppin, their leading scorer and rebounder dealing with a “lower-body injury.” But getting him healthy for conference play is what matters.
Last week: 8
This week: vs. Bethune-Cookman (Saturday)
What to know: Tucker DeVries is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, which could be a huge issue for the upstart Mountaineers should he not be healthy by the time they face Kansas on New Year’s Eve.
Last week: 9
This week: vs. UCLA in Phoenix (Saturday); vs. Samford (Wednesday)
What to know: The Wildcats ended a skid and returned to .500 with a rout of Southern Utah. But is that enough to show a turnaround from a slow start?
Last week: 10
This week: vs. Tulsa in Sunrise, Florida (Saturday)
What to know: Five-star freshman center Moustapha Thiam had six blocks and fell a rebound shy of his first double-double recently. He’s starting to get comfortable, scoring in double figures the past two games.
Last week: 11
This week: vs. South Dakota State (Friday)
What to know: The Buffaloes are still riding high, primarily from taking down rival Colorado State and former role player Nique Clifford, who has blossomed into a star after transferring.
Last week: 12
This week: vs. Drake in Kansas City, Missouri (Tuesday)
What to know: The Wildcats collapsed in their matchup with Big East member St. John’s. Then, they dismissed Samford transfer Achor Achor on Wednesday, adding to a strange season.
Last week: 15
This week: vs. Oklahoma in Oklahoma City (Saturday); vs. Tarleton State (Wednesday)
What to know: OSU won at Seton Hall last weekend. Why is that a big deal? It’s the Pokes’ second road win this season, doubling their total from a year ago.
Last week: 13
This week: vs. Wyoming in Salt Lake City (Saturday)
What to know: The Cougars were routed in their Big 12-Big East Battle game against Providence. But that barely matters with the news that No. 1-ranked recruit A.J. Dybantsa is coming to Provo next season.
Last week: 14
This week: vs. South Alabama (Monday)
What to know: The Horned Frogs have moved freshman David Punch into the starting lineup at power forward. He’s so far been a bright spot for the struggling Frogs.
Last week: 16
This week: vs. Radford (Saturday); vs. Florida A&M (Tuesday)
What to know: The Utes’ best story is the return of Caleb Lohner, a former BYU and Baylor forward who played football for Utah as a tight end this season. He made his Utah basketball debut in a loss to Saint Mary’s.
