Iowa State is eager to move above .500 after an up-and-down start to the season.
The Cyclones (1-1) will get that chance when they tip off against Southern (0-3) on Tuesday night in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa State dropped its season opener 80-76 against Memphis on Nov. 2 before bouncing back with an 83-57 win Friday over Southern Miss.
Now comes Southern, which has dropped road games against SMU, TCU and Drake to open the season. The Jaguars won’t open their home schedule until Nov. 17 against Louisiana Christian.
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said he has full confidence in his players. He has emphasized a tenacious approach on defense, which does not slump in the same way that shooting can.
“I think that’s what we’re fighting for every single day right now, is as a group, to earn that right, to earn that confidence that we can get stops,” Otzelberger said. “And then we can play off our defense, and that’s when we’re at our best.”
Otzelberger has reason for optimism after the Cyclones’ win over Southern Miss.
“They have to build the confidence in doing it,” he said. “You can watch it, you can talk about it in the recruiting process, you can even do it in practice every single day. But there has to be the carry-over, and there has to be almost a joy that you find in getting stops. That’s something that we’ve been able to cultivate year in and year out.
“It’s something that we’re working for right now … but I thought tonight was a step in the right direction.”
The Jaguars lost 75-68 against Drake on Sunday. Malik Ferguson led Southern with 17 points, and Daniel Dormu added 15 on 5-for-9 shooting from the field.
Ferguson averages a team-high 9.3 points per game, and Dormu is at 9.0.
Tre Singleton leads Iowa State with an average of 19.5 points per game, and Ryan Prather Jr. is next at 14 ppg.
Otzelberger said he is still trying to determine the best starting lineup going forward.
“I’ve told the guys there are no starters right now,” Otzelberger said. “There’s the first group I put on the floor. And that’s going to be the group that, when I watch practice, that their intent, their demeanor, their care factor is at the highest level, and then we’ll reevaluate at halftime who that is.
“So right now, you’re going to see a lot of different starting lineups.”