AMES, IA – JANUARY 15: Head coach Bill Self of the Kansas Jayhawks practices 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)
SOUL – After Iowa State dismantled No. 9 Kansas at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, Jayhawks coach Bill himself was complementary to TJ Otzelberger and his team.
Here’s what he had to say.
On what led Iowa State to victory: “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 have it. And I thought in the first half there were probably five or six balls off an offensive rebound or something that they got that could have been our balls. Now, we tried hard, but there’s a difference between trying hard and actually competing. And I think they were better at that in the first half.
About Iowa State’s Curtis Jones: “We were stinking and it was 32-30. We didn’t close out the half well, and they played a player like an all-American first team, and he’s great.
“The aggressiveness in the freedom with which he plays in attack… you know, I’m sure he’s always been a great player and a good scorer and all that. But he plays downhill to the point where he sets you back in multiple ways.
“And (Keshon) Gilbert does it too. And sure, your point guard plays every play, and he doesn’t score as many points, but I think it’s as many as anything.
On what Iowa State did defensively to limit Hunter Dickinson and win the game: “I think the biggest thing they did was they put so much pressure on the perimeter that the only person who could catch it easily was a five-man player. So if you move the five player away from the basket to relieve pressure, he won’t score as many points.
“The other thing they do a good job of is when we tried to feed the post from the wing or the high slot a few times on the first side – and the way they play, they trap through the bottom. It wasn’t a good idea of us to try to do that, even if we didn’t want to. We wanted to get the ball to the second or third camp as quickly as possible. But I definitely think the way they guarded us – I think that’s the way it would limit Hunter’s good contacts, but a lot of it was because of their guards forcing him to be in the perimeter.
On what TJ Otzelberger did to make Iowa State the program it is now: “I think their evaluation (in) recruiting has been great. Maybe Jamie (Pollard’s) gave them so much money in zero money, that they could just go for anyone… but the main thing is that the pieces fit.
“The other thing is they’re very well coached, and they’re also very good at situational basketball… Just like the time we did a little five shift, they just BSed with the ball until ’till they get the big guy job and throw him over.
“They’re a very smart basketball team. They’re old too, but I would say talent evaluation, building a team and then having them play as hungry as they do. I think that’s probably why I would praise him, more than anything. They did an excellent job.
