Iowa State Cyclones forward Brandton Chatfield (33) and Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (2) celebrate after a score during the second half against Cincinnati in the Big-12 men’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 15, 2025 in Ames, Iowa. © Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
AMES — Milan Momcilovic and Iowa State’s other skilled outside shooters wield the “daggers.”
The Cyclones’ burly big men — Brandton Chatfield, Dishon Jackson, and Joshua Jefferson — swing the “hammers.”
And those metaphorical weapons provide eighth-ranked ISU (20-5, 10-4 Big 12) with a well-stocked arsenal it’s used to stagger and drop its foes with regularity this season.
“I don’t know if we necessarily prefer one over the other,” said Cyclone head coach T.J. Otzelberger, whose team seeks to beat Colorado (10-15, 1-13) for the third time this season at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hilton Coliseum.
So what’s a “dagger?”
It’s a 3-point basket made possible by an offensive rebound and kick-out.
And a “hammer?”
That’s an offensive board and quick putback.
The cumulative effect of such toughness-based plays exacts a physical and psychological toll on ISU’s foes — and the Cyclones delivered plenty of both in Saturday’s 81-70 win over Cincinnati.
“I think it just takes all the confidence away,” said Momcilovic, whose return to the lineup after recovering from a hand injury has fueled ISU’s three-game winning streak. “Because they played such good defense for probably 25 seconds, and then, boom, we get the offensive rebound and it’s either a putback or they have to guard for another 20 seconds. So it takes everything away from them.”
The Cyclones utilized an array of “daggers” and “hammers” in their Big 12 season-opening win over the Buffaloes on Dec. 30 in Boulder. They grabbed a season-high 20 offensive boards in that game — and one led to a Curtis Jones “dagger” 3-pointer to beat the first-half buzzer. A later “hammer” from Jackson gave ISU a 58-57 edge with 8:54 left and Colorado never retook the lead.
So the Cyclones will rely on similar gritty plays on Tuesday against a Buffaloes team that finally notched their first conference win on Saturday against UCF in Boulder.
“I feel like they’re the best version of themselves they have been this season right now,” Otzelberger said of Colorado, which his team also pummeled, 99-71, early this season in the Maui Invitational. “What do I expect? They’re gonna come in and compete. They’re gonna come in and play hard. I think sometimes we can take for granted of this is what happened last game or the game before. I know (head coach Tad Boyle’s) gonna have them ready to play. I know the character of the guys he has.”
Otzelberger’s also deeply appreciative of the qualities his team showcases — and lately that’s included several “daggers” and “hammers.”
Chatfield struck for two of the latter in just 16 minutes against Cincinnati. He grabbed a game-high five offensive boards and his final “hammer” fueled a decisive 10-0 run that turned a 48-45 deficit into a 55-48 lead the Cyclones would never relinquish.
“You get the offensive rebound and you go right back up, the crowd goes crazy, the whole bench goes crazy,” Chatfield said after the win. “It’s just an awesome moment. … If it’s there, take it. If you’re off-balance you can kick it out.”
And on Saturday — as well as most of the season — either one of those rebounding-based plays lead to success on the scoreboard.
Otzelberger calls controlling the glass the most important aim for his team for good reason. ISU’s 18-1 this season when outrebounding its opponents. The Cyclones are 2-4 when being outrebounded or tied in that area.
“I think our commitment on the glass, our rededication and understanding of how important that is to our success, and winning, and playing well — our guys have done a great job,” Otzelberger said. “I think as things haven’t been perfect in some other areas, the rebounding has been something that has put us in position to be successful and win games. Particularly in the second half of the last two games, we were dominating. It’s something that we need to set out to do right away.”
So expect more “daggers” and “hammers” to come — Tuesday night and beyond.
“It’s a big-time character play, and I think those are really elevating for (our) guys,” Otzelberger said.
