TJ Otzelberger will hold his players accountable following stunning home loss

Iowa State was out-played throughout in a loss to Kansas State
TJ Otzelberger was critical of his team following a loss to Kansas STate.
TJ Otzelberger was critical of his team following a loss to Kansas STate. / Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

Coming off a heartbreaking loss at Arizona, Saturday’s Big 12 matchup with Kansas State inside Hilton Coliseum was supposed to be a get-right game for Iowa State.

Instead, the Cyclones were dealt a stunning loss as they must now prepare for a tough environment Monday night at Kansas.

What was most surprising by the Iowa State loss was how it all came together. The defeat ended a 29-game home win streak for the program.

And head coach TJ Otzelberger didn’t pull any punches when discussing it with members of the media.

“It wasn’t an effort that we’re proud of,” Otzelberger said. “Different than our standard, what we expect and what we’ve demonstrated through the first 20 games.”

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Otzelberger referred to the performance of his team as “extremely disappointing.” Kansas State held a plus-10 advantage on the glass, scored 30 points in the paint and forced 18 turnovers which led to 26 points.

He used powerful words like self-accountability while also mentioning that it all started Sunday when his players come to practice and prepare for the Jayhawks.


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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in north-central Iowa.