Feb 12, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Pop Isaacs (2) drives to the lane against Kansas Jayhawks guard Nicolas Timberlake (25) in the first half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
No. 10 Iowa State (19-5, 8-3) returns to Hilton Coliseum Saturday to face off with the Texas Tech (18-6, 7-4) Red Raiders (11:00 a.m., ESPN2).
The Cyclones picked up another Quad-1 road victory Tuesday with a 68-59 win over Cincinnati. It was the first time this season that the Bearcats have lost a game in conference play by more than five points.
Texas Tech is coming off a win at home over No. 6 Kansas. They dominated the Jayhawks 79-50 in Bill Self’s lowest scoring output of his career. It was also the first time since December 22, 2014, that the Jayhawks lost to an unranked team by 20 or more points.
About the Red Raiders
Texas Tech is under the direction of first-year coach Grant McCasland. The former North Texas leader took over a program that went 5-13 in conference play and 16-16 overall last season. In his first year, McCasland has already eclipsed their win total from last season and put his team in contention for a Big 12 championship.
As the season inches towards March, the Red Raiders look to be firmly in the NCAA Tournament. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi currently has Coach McCasland’s squad as a 7-seed. With Iowa State’s win over Cincinnati, the Cyclones moved to the top overall 3-seed spot with hopes of jumping to the 2-seed line with a win over Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders are one of the best offensive teams in the Big 12, with six players averaging at least 10.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
The offense starts with their guard play. Second-year player Pop Issacs leads the team on both ends of the floor. The sophomore point guard is averaging 16.5 points on 35.8 percent shooting from the field and 32.2 percent from behind the arc. He also dishes out 3.8 assists per game.
The team goes as far as Issacs goes – ability to create and make shots on the offensive side is complimented by his defense.
Former Iowa and West Virginia guard Joe Toussaint fits in nicely alongside Issacs. The 6-foot-0 senior is second on the team in scoring with 12.4 points per game on 41.4 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from behind the arc. Toussaint’s averaging 3.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
In Toussaint’s career, he has lived at the free-throw line. This season, Toussaint is 89-103 from the line, good enough for 86.4 percent. Keeping him off the free throw line will be a key for the Cyclones.
Arizona State transfer Warren Washington has been exactly what the Texas Tech program has needed in the front court. The 7-foot-0 center scores 10.3 points per game but grabs a team-high in rebounds and blocks with 7.7 and 1.4 per game.
Like Iowa State’s Hason Ward, Washington is an eraser at the rim. He has jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism and plays defense without fouling. In his last outing, he held Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Hunter Dickinson to 5 points on 2-12 shooting from the field.
Sophomore forward Darrion Williams gives Texas Tech instant offense when he is on the floor. The 6-foot-6 Nevada transfer earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year last season and averages 10.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
In the Red Raiders game against Kansas, Williams finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists. He shot a perfect 12-12 from the floor including 4-4 from three-point range.
Iowa State’s guard play
Under coach T.J. Otzelberger’s reign in Ames, Iowa State has seen great guard play. Izaiah Brockington, Jaren Holmes and Gabe Kalscheur are just some of the players that Otzelberger has brought and developed since coming to Ames.
This year’s guards have followed right in those guys’ footsteps. Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsey, Curtis Jones and Jackson Paveletzke have kept getting better and better every game, and it shows in how they play on the court.
Lipsey’s development was well-documented this off-season after a tough year on the offensive end. This season, Lipsey has taken his game to a whole new level.
His three-point shot has been the biggest improvement. As a freshman, Lipsey shot 20 percent from behind the arc. Now as a sophomore, he is shooting 37.2 percent from three.
Since arriving in Ames, Gilbert, Paveletzke and Jones have taken on the Otzelberger style of basketball. It has been impressive to watch them embrace the tough and physical style of play. On defense, they fly around creating chaos and causing turnovers. Offensively, they get to the paint and knock down threes on the perimeter.
In March, guard play wins games. And Iowa State has the potential to make a deep run in the tournament.
What’s on the horizon?
The Cyclones need to take care of business against an impressive team in Texas Tech on Saturday. But on the horizon lies a Big Monday matchup at No. 3 Houston.
At 8-3 in conference play, Iowa State sits tied atop the Big 12 with Houston. It is the best start to conference play since the 1999-2000 team and that team went on to win the Big 12 regular season title.
There are still seven games remaining in conference play, but Iowa State is within arm’s reach of the Big 12 regular season title. Fun basketball awaits the Cyclones down the stretch.
